McGovern, Pauline (2014) What did you say? A deaf researcher reflects on participant observation in small voluntary organisation. SAGE Research Methods Cases. SAGE Publications, Ltd., London, UK. ISBN 9781446273050 (doi:10.4135/978144627305013505054)

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Abstract

In this article, I reflect on my experience as a hearing-impaired participant observer in a small voluntary organisation. I chose this method to explore practice in the organisation holistically, because it fitted with my research aim which was to look at how the group developed over time. I was a participant observer in this organisation for 9 months. The analysis was influenced by the work of Pierre Bourdieu on personal orientation to social situations (habitus) and the resources that people use in interaction (capitals). I explore two personal attributes that had an effect on my relationships with participants during fieldwork and were relevant to data collection: my hearing impairment and my status as an academic researcher. Following Bourdieu, I argue that the researcher is a co-participant in the field and may influence the research context, and I suggest techniques that may encourage reflection on practice.

Item Type:	Book Section
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Co-participants, Habitus, disability, hearing impairment, participant observation, reflexivity, researcher–participant relations
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Business > Department of International Business & Economics
Last Modified:	14 Oct 2016 09:36
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/14587

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