Researching Migrant Motherhood Using the Drawing Method

Abstract

This chapter discusses the use of an inclusive research approach using the drawing method to examine the perceptions and lived experiences of motherhood among Zimbabwean migrant women living in Australia. Most women experienced the impact of migration on the mothering role in their new homeland. Many tried to deal with their motherhood and mothering roles as best as they could, including making special attempts to assimilate into Australian life and cultivating any support that could assist them. Impacts of culture and migration on motherhood should be understood so that the well-being of the Zimbabwean migrant mothers and their babies can be enhanced. Methodologically, this chapter has shown the value of inclusive research methods in research relating to migrant women and motherhood. Inclusive research methods, such as the drawing method, permit individuals to be able to express their voices that reflected their lived experiences better than through a verbal means alone. The authors have demonstrated the way the women in the present study used this inclusive method to portray their lives as migrant mothers. The method is suitable for other research dealing with marginalized individuals and researchers are encouraged to experiment with it in their future research.