Co-producing impact-in-process with participatory audio-visual research

Abstract

Within feminist geography, there is a growing consensus on the need for research to contribute to social change and transformation beyond the academy, and increased emphasis on the co-production of impact. In this paper I critically reflect and report on how I co-produced impact with a participatory audio-visual research project, conducted in collaboration with women in Bogotá and Medellín and researchers and filmmakers based in the UK and Colombia. I focus particularly on co-producing ‘impact-in-process’, which builds participants' capacities, creates spaces of reciprocal learning and increases participants' confidence and sense of ownership both during and beyond the research process. Yet, while co-producing impact-in-process benefits research participants and has the potential to contribute to social change and transformation, this form of impact is rarely recognised as such.