The Graduate School of Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) strengthened its global academic engagement through an international guest lecture entitled “Communities Behind the Lens” on Wednesday, 9 September 2026. Held online via Zoom, the session featured Shannon Switzer Swanson, Ph.D., a National Geographic Explorer, and was moderated by Dr. Abigail Mary Moore, B.Sc., M.Sc. The lecture brought together students, faculty members, researchers, and participants from diverse backgrounds.
The Dean of the Graduate School was represented by the Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ir. Nadiarti, M.Sc., who expressed strong support for the program. She emphasized that international guest lectures provide valuable opportunities for the UNHAS academic community to engage with experienced researchers from around the world, broaden academic perspectives, strengthen research capacity, and create opportunities for sustainable collaboration. Meanwhile, Swanson introduced several participatory visual research methods, including PhotoVoice, participatory video, and the Community Voice Method.
These approaches allow community members to document and reflect on their experiences, strengths, needs, and challenges through photographs, videos, and narratives. Rather than positioning communities solely as sources of data, participatory methods involve them as active partners in the production and dissemination of knowledge. “Behind every photograph, dataset, and scientific publication are communities whose knowledge, experiences, and relationships with nature deserve to be recognized and valued,” Swanson said. She emphasized that researchers should not only study communities but also listen to them, learn from them, and involve them meaningfully throughout the research process.
Swanson also shared her research experiences with coastal communities in several countries, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Kenya, and Thailand. These experiences demonstrated how participatory photography and filmmaking can reveal community perspectives and concerns that may not always emerge through conventional research methods. Such approaches can also support public dialogue, raise awareness, strengthen community voices and contribute to policies that are more responsive to local needs. During the discussion session, participants explored the potential of film as an output of scientific research and community engagement. Swanson explained that participatory film can serve as a tool for communicating community perspectives while also contributing to the research process, provided that it is supported by clear research questions, systematic methods, strong ethical principles, and community involvement from the planning stage.
She also highlighted the importance of aligning research questions with both community priorities and scientific objectives. According to Swanson, communities should be involved in identifying the issues they consider important and the kinds of impact they hope the research will achieve. Prof. Nadiarti expressed hope that the guest lecture would inspire the UNHAS academic community to develop research that is more responsive to community voices, experiences, and knowledge. Through the international guest lecture, the Graduate School of Hasanuddin University reaffirmed their commitment to advancing inclusive, ethical, and internationally oriented education and research. The activity also supported efforts to expand global academic networks and strengthen UNHAS’s contribution to research that generates meaningful benefits for communities.