DRM Webinar: Seeing is Believing: Visual Research Methodologies in the Social Sciences
Join the PsySSA DRM and Prof Sisanda Nkoala as we explore the power of visual research methodologies that integrate diverse visual elements such as archive images, media, maps, objects, buildings, and video interviews, to construct compelling case studies in the social sciences.
Seeing is Believing: Visual Research Methodologies in the Social Sciences
Date: 31 July 2025
Time: 12h00 to 13h00
MS Teams Link: Click to join (no registration required)
About the webinar
This presentation will explore the power of visual research methodologies in the social sciences. These techniques move beyond traditional text-based approaches by integrating diverse visual elements – including archive images, media, maps, objects, buildings, and video interviews – to construct compelling case studies. We will discuss how emphasising the visual dimension can lead to richer, more nuanced understandings of social phenomena and enhance researcher’ engagement with both their subjects and wider audiences. Through case studies of innovative studies that have employed visual research methodologies, the presentation aims to encourage attendees to explore the potential of visual methods in their own fields, providing practical examples of successful implementation and highlighting the unique contributions of visual inquiry.
Can’t join us live? Watch all recordings of the PsySSA DRM Webinars and Research Podcast episodes on the PsySSA DRM YouTube Channel
Prof Sisanda Nkoala
Prof Sisanda Nkoala is a former award-winning journalist turned NRF-rated Associate Professor in the University of the Western Cape’s Linguistics Department. She is a joint holder of the UWC Media Inclusion and Diversity Chair. She holds a PhD in Rhetoric Studies. Her research on media, rhetoric and multilingualism has been published in the top journals in her field, including Journalism, Acta Juridica, and the International Journal of Multilingual Research. She has received research-related honours and grants from the National Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, the International Communication Association, the National Research Foundation and the Association of Commonwealth Universities, among others. She is also a public intellectual whose commentary has been featured by the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, Reuters, University World News and several South African news media entities.