On community capitals as we see them through photovoice: Cowell oyster industry in South Australia

Abstract

In this article, we discuss a photovoice study of the oyster industry in Cowell on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. For the last 15 years the Cowell community has been adding water-based farming – the environmentally sensitive industry of oyster aquaculture - to its land-based farming. The community capitals approach for assessing community sustainability was undertaken using photovoice and a photo stimulated workshop. Whilst this study provides data on natural, produced, and institutional capitals, the method enabled subtle reflections to be made on social and human capitals. Hence it provides some data on these hard to capture aspects of the capitals approach. The method allowed the Cowell community to tell their insider-looking- out story of the impact of oyster aquaculture on their community. The capitals approach linked well with photovoice methodology, and would have wider applicability in assessing the impact of other environmentally sensitive industries and developments in other communities. Findings from the study indicated that oyster aquaculture is viewed by Cowell community members as adding positive social and human capital, and that any negative aspects of the industry on the other capitals are seen as minor.