Methodologically disrupting Whiteness: a critical race case for visual-elicited focus groups as cultural responsiveness

ABSTRACT In the twenty-first century, visual media are an undeniable component of everyday culture and sensemaking of race, yet when studying racism in education, researchers rarely centre the visual in their methods and analysis. This trend is alarming considering how racialised messages and violence (e.g. the murder of George Floyd) are routinely circulated at unprecedented rates across information technologies including YouTube, Twitter, and Tik Tok. This paper’s purpose is therefore twofold: I use critical race theory to critique the underuse of visual methods for the study of race and racism as a methodological trend reaffirming Whiteness in education. I then draw upon Jori N. Hall’s culturally responsive focus groups to highlight an exemplar study’s use of visual-elicited focus groups as a culturally responsive tool to methodologically disrupt Whiteness’ hold on social science enquiry. I conclude by discussing the affordances of this visual methodological innovation for the study of race and racism. Considerations for future use and implications complete this conceptual paper’s discussion of methodologically disrupting Whiteness in education research.