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Co-creation as a Form of Citizen Science in Kazakhstan: An Ethnographic Roadtrip in Visual Storytelling and Authorship

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  2. Sociologus
  3. Vol. 73, Issue 2
  4. pp. 151–175

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La Mela, V., Yakupov, B. Co-creation as a Form of Citizen Science in Kazakhstan: An Ethnographic Roadtrip in Visual Storytelling and Authorship. Sociologus, 73(2), 151-175. https://doi.org/10.3790/soc.2025.1461403
La Mela, Verena and Yakupov, Bakhytzhan "Co-creation as a Form of Citizen Science in Kazakhstan: An Ethnographic Roadtrip in Visual Storytelling and Authorship" Sociologus 73.2, 2023, 151-175. https://doi.org/10.3790/soc.2025.1461403
La Mela, Verena/Yakupov, Bakhytzhan (2023): Co-creation as a Form of Citizen Science in Kazakhstan: An Ethnographic Roadtrip in Visual Storytelling and Authorship, in: Sociologus, vol. 73, iss. 2, 151-175, [online] https://doi.org/10.3790/soc.2025.1461403
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Co-creation as a Form of Citizen Science in Kazakhstan: An Ethnographic Roadtrip in Visual Storytelling and Authorship

La Mela, Verena | Yakupov, Bakhytzhan

Sociologus, Vol. 73(2023), Iss. 2 : pp. 151–175 | First published online: December 04, 2025

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Article Details

Publisher Name
Duncker & Humblot
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3790/soc.2025.1461403
Language
English
Pages
25
Keywords

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Author Details

Verena La Mela, Institut für Ethnologie, Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies, Universität Heidelberg, Voßstraße 2, Gebäude 4110, 69115 Heidelberg.

Bakhytzhan Yakupov, independent photographer, Almaty (Kazakhstan), contact via Verena La Mela.

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Abstract

Co-creation as a Form of Citizen Science in Kazakhstan: An Ethnographic Roadtrip in Visual Storytelling and Authorship

This article proposes a step towards epistemic justice through co-creation as a form of citizen science. It explores co-creation as a methodology in the context of ethnographic field research conducted in southeastern Kazakhstan. During a research trip, the author hired a local taxi driver, who was also a photographer. He unexpectedly contributed to the research by bringing his own camera equipment and documenting the process from his personal perspective, both visually and conceptually. Through his photographs, he became a co-creator of knowledge, offering unique visual insights into fieldwork and highlighting alternative viewpoints on research and regional conditions. The article presents and ana­lyses his images, discussing their role in knowledge production and the broader implications for participatory methodologies. Furthermore, it examines local perceptions of infrastructure development and neglect within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. By integrating these perspectives, this article contributes to ongoing debates on citizen science, emphasizing the value of inclusivity and co-creation in academic research.

Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
Verena La Mela / Bakhytzhan Yakupov: Co-creation as a Form of Citizen Science in Kazakhstan: An Ethnographic Roadtrip in Visual Storytelling and Authorship 151
Abstract 151
1. Introduction 151
2. Co-creation by Coincidence 153
3. Products of Co-creation 156
3.1 Coffee 156
Affordances 157
3.2 Emptiness 159
Affordances 160
3.3 Rail Kill 161
Affordances 162
3.4 Friendship 163
Affordances 164
3.5 Passage 165
Affordances 166
4. Constraints of Co-creation and Ways Out 167
4.1 Time, Money, and Unequal Access to Resources 167
4.2 Ways Out 169
5. Towards a Methodology of Co-creation and Limitations of Citizen Science 170
6. Conclusion 171
References 172

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