Photovoice: Defining Multiculturalism and its Relation to Violence from a Youth's Perspective

Multiculturalism is an important concept that has thus far been largely ignored in youth violence research. The context, nature, and process by which multiculturalism operates is important to understand because societies such as the U.S. are increasingly becoming more diverse and multicultural. This changing environment sets the stage for a greater need for positive intergroup relations and interactions. Unfortunately, there is no agreed upon definition of multiculturalism. Some researchers contend that it is related to philosophical and dispositional openness, whereas others suggest that it refers to the idea where no one group constitutes the majority. This study uses photovoice as a methodology to collect data from youth about the meaning of multiculturalism from the youth's perspective with the goal of developing a developmentally appropriate measure of multiculturalism. Nine youth from Oakland, California and four youth from Fort Collins, Colorado participated in the study. We will recruit10 additional youth from the Bronx, New York. Youth were given camera phones and were instructed to take pictures of what multiculturalism meant to them, and how it relates to violence. Interviews and focus groups were conducted. Preliminary findings reveal that youth regard multiculturalism as something positive and ideal, and that it is a word connoting unity. In relation to violence youth spoke about potential misunderstandings and biased perceptions of others. Having a measure of multiculturalism that is developmentally grounded and including youth's perception is critical to moving the field forward, particularly with respect to the role of multiculturalism in youth violence