Resumen de Reflections from utilizing reflexive photography to develop rural tourism in Indonesia
Ignatius Cahyanto, Lori Pennington-Gray, Brijesh Thapa
Interest in the use of reflexive photography as a method of social research has gained attention in a variety of fields in recent years. Reflexive photography has been used in numerous studies across disciplines to extract information from research participants. A few studies have applied reflexive photography in tourism settings. However, there are some issues of application in tourism research. The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of reflexive photography as a method within the context of a rural village in Indonesia. The study was conducted in Sambi village during June-July, 2007. Data were gathered using reflexive photography with 28 participants. Four main issues related to the utilization of reflexive photography are discussed: (1) the importance of absent objects, (2) the strength of meaning, (3) the use of technology by locals, and (4) the timing of the study. The study concluded that reflexive photography can be an alternative tool in local participatory decision-making in tourism development, especially in rural communities. However, due to the unique nature of the method, it is imperative to understand the issues and appropriately plan the utilization to maximize the outcomes. Recommendations for future uses of this method in tourism research are discussed.
