DEFINITION OF LIFE HISTORY

A
s its name indicates, a life story is a personal story about one's own existence. In
other words, it is the testimony that an individual offers in relation to their personal
experiences. These types of stories can be done in writing or orally. The concept of
life story is equivalent to others, such as biography , autobiography or memoirs. 1

A RESEARCH TOOL IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

Certain personal stories are of singular interest to historians, anthropologists or
psychologists. Its interest does not consist in the striking nature of the life history
itself, but rather it is interesting because it can be a paradigmatic model about a
historical period, a way of living or to better understand a mental pathology. In this
sense, a life story of an albino in Tanzania is a story that provides very useful
information about people with this genetic disease and their social reality.
Any autobiographical narrative has elements that can be used by a researcher. For
this reason, the term psychobiography or psychohistory has been coined, since
both refer to the connection between particular experiences and the general ideas
of an era.
In the literary tradition there are so-called psychoanalytic biographies, in which the
lives of certain famous people are approached from the perspective of
psychoanalysis.
Regardless of the format of a life story, the story of an individual's personal
experiences serves to gain insight into reality. In this vision there are objective data
(dates and events) and also subjective evaluations or descriptions of daily life.

1
Definition ABC belongs to the Onmidia LTDA network, with headquarters in Sao Paulo, Brazil. However,
its team is made up of Spanish-speaking professionals from countries such as Spain, Mexico, Venezuela and
Argentina. https://www.definicionabc.com/social/historia-vida.php
LIFE STORY EXAMPLE: THE LIFE STORY OF ANNE FRANK
The Diary of Anne Frank is an autobiographical book that tells a life story that has
allowed us to better understand the persecution of the Jews during World War II.
Originally it is a personal diary in which Anne Frank, a Jewish teenager , tells how
her life unfolds in an attic with her family and some acquaintances who have to
remain hidden for fear of being captured by the Nazis.

After two years living in hiding, all of them were sent to a concentration camp.
Anne Frank died at the age of 15 in the Bergen-Belsen camp. Anne Frank's father
was able to survive and when World War II ended he recovered his daughter's
diary so that it could be published.
The life story of Anne Frank is more than just a teenager's diary. In its pages the
reader finds a personal testimony about a reality that affected millions of Jews in
Europe. It must be remembered, on the other hand, that Anne Frank was fully
aware of what her diary could mean for future generations.
 Photos: Fotolia - viktoriia1974 / XtravaganT

PHOTOVOICE
A TECHNIQUE FOR QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
The researcher and professor at Montclair University in New Jersey, Susana
Juniu,2 In April, he gave two workshops at the Faculty of Education of the
University of Costa Rica called “ PhotoVoz : use of images in participatory
research” in which an action research methodology was applied to demonstrate
how, based on this technique and From the use of photographs, qualitative
research can be carried out. 3
PhotoVoz is a technique in which research participants take photographs related
to a topic related to the investigative process, which creates new opportunities for
reflection and representation of issues in a personal and creative way. As its name
indicates, it allows people to be given a voice and empowered through the
documentation or photographic record of their reality. The images are
accompanied by narratives that explain the intention of that photograph, which
facilitates a reflective process for people to become in agents of social change.

HISTORY OF PHOTOVOICE

FotoVoz originated in the 1990s by Caroline Wang 4 and other collaborators, in

order to provide a tool so that people who do not have a voice or power in their
communities can empower themselves, identify problems, needs and participate as
agents of change in their community. This technique is based on:

 Freire's Methodology : involves selecting and using photography or

drawing to promote dialogue.
 In Fotovoz, photography is used as a means for people to express and
show their reality, so that they analyze the social conditions that contribute
to local problems, and it also allows them to focus on a central problem in
the life of the participant.
 Documentary photography: this is intended for people from a
disadvantaged community to show their reality through visual images to
achieve social changes.
 Feminist Theory : What this allows is to give a voice to people who
generally do not have one, in order to open a dialogue that promotes social
change. Participants are experts and have authority over their lives,
experiences are valued and inclusive knowledge is built.

BENEFITS OF THE TECHNIQUE

2
JUNIU, Susana. Researcher at Mountclair State University – New Jersey. Chair: Qualitative and quantitative
research, psychosocial aspects of leisure behavior and educational technology.
3
Web portal of the Faculty of Education of the University of Costa Rica
http://facultadeducacion2.ucr.ac.cr/component/content/article/2-sobre-la-facultad/439-fotovoz-una-
tecnica-para-la -qualitative-research-v2
4
Caroline C. Wang. Author and Researcher at the University of Michigan.
  Promotes autonomy, participation and action.
 It generates a positive impact that allows people to develop self-
awareness and the ability to impact the community and politics.
 It allows you to give voice, empowerment and develop leadership tools.
 Increases the sense of community.

This technique has carried out various projects around the world in different areas
such as social action, health and education. In the latter it has been used by
teachers who work with students or those who are just beginning their professional
training. Through this technique, experiences during the teaching practice have
been analyzed, which allows self-assessment through photography.

PHOTOVOICE.ORG
In addition to the above, there is a charity organization called PhotoVoice in the
United Kingdom,5 that uses ethical photography to promote positive social change.
On its website you can read in its description:
“PhotoVoice works to build a world where everyone has the opportunity to
represent themselves and tell their own story.

We work in the UK and internationally with individuals, local communities and

partner organisations.

We design and deliver bespoke participatory photography, digital storytelling and

self-defence projects for socially excluded groups.”

BIBILIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

1. https://www.definicionabc.com/ SPECIALIZED DEFINITIONS

2. https://photovoice.org/ PHOTOVOICE BRITISH NGO

3. https://www.ucr.ac.cr/ university of Costa Rica – Faculty of Education

4. https://www.montclair.edu/profilepages/view_profile.php?username=junius
Montclair State University – New Jersey (USA) Teacher Profile.

5
https://photovoice.org/about-us/