Body Mapping

Introduction to body mapping

Body mapping has traditionally been used in therapy or as a consultation method among labour unions to explore occupational hazards and perceived health status. In our 2009 study with undocumented Latin American migrant workers in the GTA, we created a one-to-one body mapping technique to explore the intersection of health, migration, gender, and contextual factors that influence the health and well-being of this population.

As a technique, body mapping has proven to be a reflexive approach to knowledge production, and as products, body maps have the potential to illustrate the complexity of undocumented migrants’ lives, including social, cultural, economic, political, and transnational contexts. More importantly, they offer a creative approach for knowledge translation and exchange.

Doing body mapping

Our one-to-one body mapping technique has been adapted from a group therapy model used with people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa. Specifically, our study employed three two-hour interviews with undocumented workers, where the first hour consisted of a semi-structured interview, and the second hour used our body mapping technique. In total, participants engaged in three body mapping sessions, where the interviewer acted as the facilitator using structured activities which complemented interview themes. The body maps that were generated were participants’ life-size body images.

If you would like to know more about how we used body mapping in our study, please read our Body Mapping Facilitation Guide (coming soon) or our Information Pamphlet.

Please click the thumbnails below to see the Body Maps created for our project with undocumented workers.