About the Project
v i s u a l i z i n g i m m i g r a n t P h o e n i x
From August 2016 - May 2018, three research teams of
undergraduates at Arizona State University engaged in ethnographic fieldwork in metro Phoenix in order to visually document immigrants’ imprint upon the
cityscape. Taken together, this website’s compilation of researchers’ digital imaging, short ethnographic narratives, and mini-interviews richly
demonstrate that, although flying below the radar of official planning instruments and
public acknowledgement, migrants are busily transforming our collective urban environment.
Project dates: August 2016 - May 2018
How did we do it?
Research team members worked on projects both collaboratively and individually, documenting immigrant activities and neighborhoods. Each dedicated an average of a few hours a week. We practiced beyond-the-classroom learning, engaging in visual documentation and qualitative ethnography in the urban laboratory of our city.
We identified areas in the city with a high proportion of immigrants by using census data and other sources. We then explored these areas as well as our own neighborhoods and anywhere we found intriguing prospects to explore. Researchers’ visualization and ethnographic research skills varied according to their major, multi-lingual proficiency, and experiences in Phoenix communities. The resultant interdisciplinary, inter-ethnic synergies worked to the project’s advantage, enriching students’ perspectives and resultant creative visualizations.
Mentoring came not only from project director Prof. Koptiuch, but also from peers on the team. Researchers shared image sets, critiqued each other's visualizations, and collaborated in curating collections of our most evocative images for the exhibition. Researchers individually created their own photo essays about site visits and mini-interviews accompanied by short analytical text, as well as curated photo sets. All projects are addressed both to our local community members and a worldwide audience through this website.
As the project grew, we presented several exhibitions to the public both at academic conferences and locally in Phoenix (we won awards!), our projects got picked up by local media, we expanded to create several videos of our research, and we did spinoffs like pop-up exhibits and academic articles. Overall this was a fabulous research experience for us all!
Research TeamS
Spring 2018
Team:
- Yerena Hernandez, Political Science
- Sanhareb Nano, Communications
- Megan Reder, Global Logistics Management
- Nina Rocket, Psychology
- Jonnathan Flores, Social & Behavioral Sciences
Research Assistant
- Argenis Hurtado Moreno, Social & Behavioral Sciences
Spring 2017
Team:
- Jose Grijalva, Forensics
- Argenis Hurtado Moreno, Social & Behavioral Sciences
- Hussein Mohamed, Interdisciplinary Arts & Performance
- Ileen Younan, English
Research Assistants
- Cynthia Canez, Psychology
- Crystal Cespedes, Psychology
Fall 2016:
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Cynthia Canez, Psychology
-
Crystal Cespedes, Psychology
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Christen Garden, Social & Behavioral
Sciences
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Patrick Ingham, History
-
Chrystin Sanchez , History
a n d o t h e r S p i n o f f s
See us in the news, other publications, and more, as word gets out about our project.
WE INVITE YOU TO EXPLORE OUR SITE--HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!
Send us comments!
© 2016-18 Kristin Koptiuch and individual authors. Please give credit to authors when citing. Viewpoints expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the project director or ASU. All photos taken by team members unless otherwise indicated. Please contact us if you have questions, comments, suggestions.