Visualizing Migration: Participatory Photography with Migrant Women

This study examines participatory photography as a feminist and decolonial praxis with 18 migrant women in Granada, Spain. Through collaborative workshops, participants produced visual narratives regarding home, belonging, and identity. Intersectional analysis revealed four key themes: memory, empowerment, solidarity, and identity navigation. Findings demonstrate that this method fosters participant agency and critical reflection. Ultimately, the research confirms participatory photography as a vital tool for democratizing knowledge, centering migrant voices, and creating a political space for marginalized perspectives. This study explores how participatory photography can serve as a feminist and decolonial research praxis when engaging with migrant women. A series of collaborative photography workshops were conducted with 18 migrant women (aged 20–45) from diverse backgrounds in Granada, Spain. Participants created and discussed their own photographic images to reflect on themes of home, belonging, care, and future aspirations. Drawing on an intersectional feminist and decolonial lens, the analysis focuses on how image-making and collective narration fostered agency and critical reflection among the women. The findings reveal four primary themes—“Memory, Belonging, and Home”; “Self-expression and Empowerment”; “Community and Solidarity”; and “Navigating Intersectional Identities”—which highlight the participants’ lived experiences and social positions. Within each theme, visual symbols were used to articulate aspects of identity, belonging, and resistance. These results are discussed in relation to feminist theories of empowerment and decolonial critiques of representation. Participatory photography is presented as a method that can center migrants’ own perspectives and create a political space for marginalized voices. The article contributes to the literature on visual methods in migration studies and offers practical insights for researchers and activists engaging with migrant communities.