Visuelle Soziologie : eine fotografische Ethnografie zu Veränderungen im kubanischen Alltagsleben

Abstract

In this present study we attempt to reorientate the Visual Sociology on an empirical basis. Up to now, in Visual Sociology, Visual Ethnology as well as Anthropology, a camera or a cine camera has prevailingly been used as auxiliary means which only supported an illustrated the general data collecting process. In Visual Sociology, one has scarcely dealt with text/image respectively image/text relation, although in the entire sociologic fieldwork not only linguistic data, but also visual data, that is to say "observation data" (which certainly almost ever is transformed into written text), play an important role. None the less it is little appreciated.We propose a new approach in a methodical-methodological as well as theoretical aspect. Similar to how "thick description" (Clifford Geertz 1983) trusts in speech, a methodology of 'photographic visual concentration' is based on the seeing, observation and on (concentrated) visualisation of observations. A former representative of social-documental photography serves here as a role model: August Sander (1929), who in his 'sociological' documentation of the German society used the analytical typological potential of photography. As it was for Sander, the here chosen photographic procedure is not focused on the arbitrary snapshot, but, as agreed with actors, is aimed at the methodically controlled capture of their typical postures their self-representations in typical situations an environments.This new approach of a Visual Sociology as a 'Photographic Visual Concentration' will be demonstrated and tested in a case study: by visual typologies of everyday life transformation processes in Cuba. The case study results in a self-contained and pure visual end product. This book of images contains exclusively sequences of photographs without any kind of explanatory textual gloss as to when and where the photos were taken or any further text comment. This form has motivated this project: our primary aim has been to discern in a case study the possibilities or the limits and more broadly speaking the usability of 'image-through-image-interpretation' and knowledge transfer detached from written text and speech, and by doing so, to test on the basis of a 'photographic visual concentration' sociology as "observation science".Of course the procedure for 'Photographic Visual Concentration' we are suggesting does not preclude a linguistic interpretation at a later date. Besides the book of images, there is a second volume with comments, from which the reader gets information related to it: on the state of research, on the theoretical and methodical approach, on the process of the research project and on the strength and weaknesses of the tested photo-ethnographic procedure. In addition, the reader is provided in the last chapter with social-historical and situational context information in order to better understand the historic context of the photos in the book of images. Certainly, direct information or assistance of interpretation is not given for any single picture.