Research encounters, reflexivity and supervision

Abstract

Reflexivity in qualitative and ethnographic social science research can provide a rich source of data, especially regarding the affective, performative and relational aspects of interviews with research subjects. This paper explores by means of three case examples different ways of accessing and using such reflexivity. The examples are drawn from an empirical psycho-social study into the identity transitions of first-time mothers in an inner-city multicultural environment. Fieldnotes and supervision were used to engage with researcher subjectivity, to enhance the productive use of reflexivity and to address the emotional work of research. The methodology of the supervision was psychoanalytic, in its use of a boundaried frame and of psychoanalytic forms of noticing oneself, of staying engaged emotionally as well as creating a reflective distance. The examples illustrate how this can enhance the knowledge gained about the research subjects.

Keywords:

• psycho-social
• first-time mothers
• researcher subjectivity
• emotional work
• psychoanalysis
• research ethics
• uncertainty
• fieldnotes
• contract research

Notes

1. This article was made possible by funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, grant number 063-27-0118.

2. Wendy Hollway and Ann Phoenix ‘Identities in process: Becoming Bangladeshi, African Caribbean and white mothers’ (Grant RES 148-25-0058). Part of ESRC Identities and Social Action programme, with Heather Elliott, Yasmin Gunaratnam and Cathy Urwin. http://www.open.ac.uk/socialsciences/identities/findings/Hollway.pdf A parallel method, psychoanalytically informed observation is not relevant here, but see Urwin, 2007.

3. We worked closely with the sister project, also at the Open University, led by Professor professor Rachel Thomson and Dr Mary Jane Kehily ‘the Making of Modern Motherhoods’. The term ‘reflexive (or reflective) fieldnotes’ comes from there, a form of fieldnote ‘in which researchers are encouraged to document the emotional dynamics of research encounters and their personal reactions to fieldwork situations’ (Thomson, 2009, p. 3). For example, that team would note, after an interview, what came to mind in answer to the question ‘what do I hope and fear for this person?’. We adopted this technique for noticing aspects of our emotional response to the interview.

4. We are grateful to an anonymous reviewer for drawing our attention to these issues.