The disappointed evangelist: or, how I learned to stop worrying and love ambiguity

Abstract

Researcher reflexivity is a critical component qualitative research that adds depth to the interpretive process. It is becoming more common for researchers to document their reflexive process explicitly in the research write-up, and in this paper I will present an example from my own work. The story of the ‘disappointed evangelist’ highlights the potential pitfalls of the researcher’s interpretive authority and how our own preconceptions can obscure the participant’s experience. When my understanding of a participant’s experience was off the mark, I was challenged to critically examine my interpretive process that had led to such an understanding. I highlight how we must embrace the ambiguity and complexity of a participant’s experience and not force them into pre-conceived categories that serve our research agendas.

Keywords:

• reflexivity
• qualitative research
• psychiatric survivor movement
• subjectivity
• interpretive authority

Notes

1. The name ‘Rebecca’ is a pseudonym that the participant created for herself.