Framing Lived Realities: Employing Visual Ethnography to Document Informal Settlements, Case Study of Kapershera

Abstract

This chapter studies Kapashera, an informal settlement at the Delhi–Gurgaon border, through photography, participatory video, and spatial mapping. It captures everyday life, precarious labor, and the resilience of residents facing urban marginality. Visual methods are framed as both research and advocacy, bridging scholarship and policy. The chapter demonstrates how visual ethnography humanises marginalized populations, challenges dominant urban narratives, and offers insights into informal settlement dynamics, contributing to more inclusive debates on governance.