Colours, Scribbles, and Stickers: How can Visual Tools Help Research Controversial Topics Such as Discrimination in the Workplace?

Abstract

Traditional social science research methods often prove to be inadequate in researching ex-periences and perceptions of discrimination and racism, particularly among young persons. Unwillingness or inability to talk about discrimination, power hierarchies between researcher and researched, and language barriers can have negative impacts on the data collected. In order to overcome these issues, this research project draws on generative design approaches and reviews traditional research methods to incorporate visual tools influenced by the psychology of colours and semiotics of shapes. The employed visual methods and their unpredictable and “confusing” nature uncovered hidden narratives of injustice and power imbalances, helped in positioning the experiences of often marginalised young people at the centre of the activity and recognising their direct knowledge of, and emotional involvement in, the subject. This resulted in important insights into the often hidden and silenced forms of discrimination among apprentices in South Tyrol, Italy.