Studying Social Status Perceptions Among Migrants Through Photo Ranking Exercises

Abstract

This paper discusses the use of photo ranking exercises together with qualitative interview data to study migrants’ perception of social status. It draws on data from a mixed-method study, involving in-depth interviews with migrants from different socio-economic backgrounds and mobility experiences in Germany. The paper focuses on how photo ranking exercises can be combined with more traditional interviewing techniques in order to elicit peoples’ subjective perceptions of status mobility in transnational spaces. It demonstrates that ranking exercises can be helpful in the effort to design data collection methods which are combining substantialist and relational approaches to the study of social class and social positions.