Standing Firm
Sarah Pink’s, Doing Visual Ethnography is a breakthrough in the use of visual media to inspire, create, and express new dimensions of knowledge. Ethnography is an approach for researchers to connect and relate to social cultures with new disciplines, agendas, and theoretical principles.[1] Pink’s work confirms the successful transition of visual anthropology into the 21st Century scientific research community. Ethnography, as a research technique, can be shared with “textual, historical, narrative, statistical, and a whole range of research practices.”[2] Discovery, shared learning, and the creation of new knowledge are the three areas that impacted me the most about Pink’s work. This book review will engage ethnography through a discussion of images, survey, and interview.
First, I discovered that the use of pictures, video, and other media artifacts fall into a newly accepted research technique called Visual Ethnography. People who take, use, borrow, and otherwise obtain images and other visual media to research and understand phenomenon are called Ethnographers. Pink says that images “act as a force” that can transform thoughts, cultures, people groups, social sciences, and even memories.[3] Prosser characterizes ethnography as “part and parcel of contemporary qualitative methodological armoury.”[4] The users, or audience of the visual images, are therefore “critical methodologists” who want to include the “visual dimension” into their work and research.[5] Acting as an ethnographer at a Cape Town Advance lecture I observed, listened to, and experienced the narrated images from Winston Mahlatse who shared his story about growing up in an African tribal home that practiced ancestralism.[6] Combined with digital images of the presenter-informant, his use of dramatic vocal and non-verbal gestures, and our combined experiences in spiritual warfare, we made an ethnographic connection with some original shared meaning.
Second, in addition to connecting on shared meaning, Winston and I shared an ethnographic moment of shared learning. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, I presented Winston with an Armor of God (AOG) challenge coin after his presentation. In that moment, with timeless implications, we shared Christ’s metaphorical presence as the supernatural armor we both wear when engaged in spiritual battle against the forces of evil. Using the AOG coin as an ethnographic artifact, Winston and I surveyed the design, felt the six images representing the armor, and experienced a tangible sensation that held us in a state of spiritual-suspension as the Holy Spirit transferred our shared learning and discernment into our hearts, minds, and souls. Our meeting lasted less than one-minute, but something special happened that I believe epitomizes Pink’s goal for the ethnographer (me) and the informant (Winston) to experience the creation of new knowledge.[7]
Third, what is knowledge in the ethnographic context? According to Pink, it is not the scientific method of translating “visual evidence into verbal knowledge.”[8] Instead, Pink’s approach to knowledge is the intentional process of exploring the “relationships” between visual, verbal, and other forms of knowledge.[9] Ethnographic interviews using photographs as artifacts is one the best researcher tools for expressing, interpreting, and representing culture and society.[10] Using the AOG coin as a visual artifact, Winston and I exchanged new ethnographic knowledge. We formed a predestined relationship, explored our knowledge of spiritual warfare, and interpreted the application of the AOG artifact in a 3-way call with the Holy Spirt as operator and guide. The two AOG artifacts included in this post represent one example of hypermedia and one visual artifact. The hypermedia represents a visual insert that folds in half and can be included in a plastic pouch that holds the AOG coin. It connects the ethnographic informant with the Biblical connection, scriptural direction, and images of the armor of God. The hypermedia-insert ethnographically associates with the AOG two-sided challenge coin. 
Analyzing Visual Ethnography against our other course books seemed easy. For example, Pink is not trying to teach us how to read, non-read, or study like Adler, Bayard, or Rowntree. However, like the other authors, she is trying to challenge our academic paradigms and extend our scholarly reach from the objective systematic into the subjective visual methods. Parkes describes Pink’s ethnographic argument as a “wholly new kind of anthropological apprehensions informed by images rather than words.”[11] Additionally, Pink is accused by some reviewers as “throwing out all systemic methods of objective visual research” and she is called a “ethno-visualist” whose images inspire “free theoretical association.”[12] I offer positive support for Pink’s work. I find that Pink’s ethnographic strategies, combined with traditional social, scientific, and theological methods provides the researcher with a scholarly tool-kit that will work on most makes and models of knowledge.
In summary, this post focused on reviewing Pink’s book through discovery, shared learning, and the ethnographic attributes of knowledge. I am satisfied that my AOG ministry connects with Pink’s search for experienced reality and shared collaborations through visual media. I wanted to close with some encouragement for our Elite-8 cohorts. Persevering spiritually while wearing the full armor of God is a settled matter. Christ always wins! However, knowing that there is a cost to follow Christ, we should expect to receive some battle-damage along our doctoral flight.[13] Thankfully, there is strength in numbers. Please join me in wearing the full armor of God for the next three years, holding the sword (Bible) in one hand, and shield (faith) in the other. Can you hear the trumpet sound the battle call? Let’s all stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the LGP spiritual skirmish line, repelling evil, and advancing the Kingdom of God. Stand firm.
M. Webb
[1] Sarah Pink. Doing Visual Ethnography. (London: Sage Publications, 2013) 18.
[2] Ibid., 6.
[3] Ibid., 13.
[4] Jon Prosser. “Book Review: SARAH PINK, Doing Visual Ethnography: Images, Media and Representation in Research (Second Edition). London, Thousand Oaks, New Dehli: SAGE, 2006, 224 Pp. ISBN 10 1 4129 2348 4 (pbk) £21.99.” Qualitative Research 8, no. 2 (2008): 267.
[5] Ibid., 268.
[6] Mahlatse Winston Mashua, “My Story” (lecture, Commodore Hotel, Cape Town, SA, September 23, 2017).
[7] Pink, Visual Ethnography,44.
[8] Ibid., 96.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid., 18.
[11] Peter Parkes and Sarah Pink. “Doing Visual Ethnography: Images, Media and Representation in Research.” Anthropological Theory 3, no. 4 (2003): 505.
[12] Ibid., 506.
[13] Luke 14:28.
About the Author
Mike
10 responses to “Standing Firm”
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Mike,
I have a feeling like most of us you have no idea what ethnology was until you were forced, I mean encouraged, to read this book. We are suppose to stop being too nice to each other so here is a critique. Make sure you don’t see these as truly book reviews rather than discussion related to ideas and concepts within these books. You used the words “book review” is why I gave you a hard time. (I had to find something to give you a hard time about)
I too was fascinated by Winston’s story. My western mind had such a hard time wrapping itself around some of the spiritual warfare concepts; not that I don’t believe it rather I still tried to rationalize it out. I wonder how often ethnographers impose their own understandings of the world into the images and cultures they are trying to understand? I believe there were some in the audience, hearing Winston’s story, that were trying to explain away the unexplained and supernatural. We all have such a hard time with those things we can not comprehend.
Great job relating to not only your dissertation topic but also our past reading. There is something significant about being on this journey with a cohort that can lift one another up before the Lord as well as encourage each other when those fiery arrows come against us. I like that your AOG coin is in a sense a visual ethnology for the kingdom of God; drawing people to Him and his ongoing presence.
Greg,
I take your critique on the “book review” in the spirit given. I wrote this post “pre” Dr. J feedback, so you got me on this one. I am actually glad he wants us to use less commentary, and more “nail them to the cross” analysis.
I’m glad you connect with the AOG coin and encourage you to always keep your armor of God on. We can “challenge” each other on F2F by holding up our coins as a symbol of encouragement, and checking to see if the other person is armored up and ready for spiritual warfare.
Stand firm,
M. Webb
Mike,
Your summary of the gist of the text is thorough and you were able to connect this work with your experiences in Cape Town and recognize what had taken place there through this new lens that Pink promotes.
I am not sure whether or not she would agree with the leap you made in connecting VE to the experience with Winston although I recognize how the AOG coin may be seen in that way. Greg already called you out on your ‘book review’ style but, we all know how early you had this post up so grace is called for.
Dan,
Thanks for the constructive criticism on my post. You are right, I made the VE leap with Winston because of the AOG visual artifact. Pink makes some pretty big leaps in her own approaches to VE, so I took liberty. Thanks.
Stand firm,
M. Webb
Mike, I appreciate the outlook you had on this reading; it reminds me that though we all read, we may not see the same thing…in fact, I believe that was even the point Pink was making at one point. With that said, one of the things I saw differently had to do with the comment you made about Pink’s “breakthrough” and “21st century” ideas. Though I believe there were great perspectives that actually brought structure to visual ethnography, it seemed that not only was she not the beginner of the concept itself, but that like so many of us, had started by standing on the shoulders of others. The concept of the power of photography and video has been around as long as we have had the camera. I think of the many old photos I have seen of war, wild west, and other cultures…people have been grasping this concept for ages. I also remember doing a photo scrapbook in 3rd grade that was massive in visual display combined with report after report. The point being, the value I believe we take away from this is the reality that we all need structure sometimes and Pink does a fascinating job of bringing structure to this teaching/art form.
I was also curious, in your years of ministry and military works, have you been able to use this method very often? I have seen the use of the coin you gave all of us…and in my opinion, this could almost qualify in its own form.
Shawn,
Thanks for your critique and analysis. You have it figured out, there is nothing new under the sun to quote a man empowered with divine wisdom. So yes, Pink put “structure” to what already existed and pushed her agenda until the scientific community let her in with Visual Ethnography as a new form of qualifying scholarly research. Good analysis!
I have been able to use a lot of visual images in talks, mission presentations, and small groups. I guess, like you said, we have already been “doing it” but it just came naturally as we leverage the every advancing technology improvements. I remember as a kid when my Dad gave a Holy Lands presentation at our church using 8mm movie and 35mm slide show by projecting it on a screen.
Mike,
Great walkthrough of the main points. You’re explanation and application of Pink made me actually warm up to her ideas a little bit more.
Kyle,
Awesome! Good to hear from you and thanks for the feedback. I’m glad you “warmed-up” some on these approaches that stretch our traditional comfort zones. I agree, there are some positive parts to Pink that we can all use to enhance our work.
Stand firm,
M. Webb
Hi Mike!
I always appreciate your linkage with your research topic to the books we read. This statement by Parkes: “wholly new kind of anthropological apprehensions informed by images rather than words” resonates with me. If we use the Armor of God challenge coin as an example, I interpret visual ethnography as the visual capturing of the experience of receiving the coin or the visual capturing of the experience of relying on the armor of God during pain/spiritual warfare. In your line of work, I can’t imagine the visual images you see and/or video you watch which activates sensory ethnography. As you do your research, have you thought about how you can further develop ethnography into capturing these moments with others?
Jean,
Thanks for the review and constructive feedback. Much appreciated!
You have captured my passion, to help people “rely” on the armor of God during their pain, struggle, challenges, and spiritual warfare.
I have added Pink to my personal research practice, so I am sure I will focus on your idea of how to activate sensory ethnography. Thanks for your personal insights, I will use them in my research and application in the AOG challenge coin ministry.
Stand firm,
M. Webb