Reframing Observations: Tentative Programme
Day 1: Reframing the Lens
Theme: Understanding positionality, dominant frames, and Indigenous standpoints
10:00–10:30 | Welcome and Registration
- Arrival and informal introductions
- Workshop overview and practical information
- Why this workshop? Why now?
10:30–11:15 | Indigeneity as a Lens
Facilitated conversation with Biju Toppo
Questions for reflection:
- What does it mean to say that indigeneity is a lens rather than an identity attached to the body?
- How do our social locations shape what we notice and ignore?
- What dominant frames have informed the ways we observe and document the world?
Participants begin reflecting on their own positionalities and assumptions.
11:15–12:00 | Creative Introductions and Expectations
Interactive artistic exercise
Participants introduce themselves through an object, image, drawing, gesture, or memory that represents how they see the world.
Collective discussion:
- What do we hope to learn?
- What questions do we bring?
- What would we like to leave with after these three days?
12:00–13:30 | Lunch
13:30–15:00 | Seeing Through Dominant Frames
Small-group media analysis
Participants analyse selected media examples (photographs, videos, songs, posters, documentaries, or written pieces) that depict marginalised communities.
Guiding questions:
- Who is speaking and who is spoken for?
- Whose perspectives are centred?
- What assumptions shape the narrative?
- What remains unseen or unsaid?
- How does standpoint influence representation?
Each group analyses several examples and reports back.
15:00–15:30 | Coffee Break
15:30–17:00 | Missing Voices and Alternative Perspectives
Film screening and discussion
Viewing of a short film or documentary that presents an alternative way of seeing and representing communities.
Collective reflection:
- What changed when we encountered another lens?
- What does it mean to approach observation from an Indigenous standpoint?
- What responsibilities accompany representation?
End of Day 1
Day 2: Practising Observation
Theme: Observation, visual storytelling, and ethical representation
10:00–11:00 | From Observation to Storytelling
Workshop session with Biju Toppo
Introduction to:
- Photography and filmmaking as ways of observing
- Working with cameras and phones
- Storytelling through images, video, and animation
- Observation as a relational and ethical practice
Participants are invited to create an individual visual piece that communicates what they observe.
11:00–12:00 | Field Observation Exercise I
Individual activity
Participants explore the university and its surroundings as subjects of observation:
Possible themes:
- Architecture and built environments
- Landscapes and green spaces
- Art and symbols
- Everyday practices and interactions
- Non-human ecological relations
Discussion of ethical considerations:
- Personal data and GDPR
- Consent and representation
- When do we need identifiable images?
- How can we observe responsibly?
Prompt:
What meanings do these spaces evoke? How might they be seen differently through an Indigenous lens?
12:00–13:30 | Lunch
13:30–16:00 | Field Observation Exercise II
Creative production time
Participants continue their individual projects by collecting photographs, videos, sketches, sound recordings, or animations and begin developing their narratives.
Facilitators circulate to provide guidance and feedback.
16:00–17:00 | AI, Algorithms, and Ways of Seeing
Session facilitated by Anne Oloo
Topics:
- How algorithms classify and make certain realities visible or invisible
- Algorithmic bias and representation
- Humans in the Loop (Film discussion)
- AI, knowledge production, and power
Discussion:
Can technological systems also carry dominant frames? What would it mean to approach AI critically through an Indigenous lens?
End of Day 2
Day 3: Presentations and Collective Reflection
Theme: Sharing observations and reflecting on the experience
10:00–11:00 | Reflection Circle
Participants discuss:
- What surprised us?
- What dilemmas emerged?
- What ethical or emotional questions arose?
- Did our ways of observing change?
Participants finalise the format of their outputs (video, photo essay, animation, or mixed media).
11:00–11:30 | Set-up Time: Group 1
11:30–12:30 | Group 1 Presentations and Dialogue
Presentation of creative outputs followed by discussion and feedback.
12:30–13:30 | Lunch
13:30–14:00 | Set-up Time: Group 2
14:00–15:00 | Group 2 Presentations and Dialogue
Presentation of creative outputs followed by discussion and feedback.
15:00–15:30 | Coffee Break
15:30–16:30 | Feedback and Closing Reflections with Biju Toppo
Collective conversation on:
- What did we learn about observation and representation?
- How did our assumptions shift?
- What responsibilities emerge when documenting others and ourselves?
- What does it mean to take up an Indigenous lens?
16:30–17:00 | Closing Circle
Participants share one insight, question, or commitment they will carry forward from the workshop.
End of Workshop