Ramdeo, Janet ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2744-8572 (2023) ‘Who are you?’ Moving from reflexivity to self-reflexivity in educational research with marginalised groups. BERA BItes, 11:1. pp. 6-7.

Preview

PDF (Open Access Issue) 52479 RAMDEO_Who_Are_You_Moving_From_Reflexivity_To_Self-Reflexivity_(OA ISSUE)_2023.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (4MB) | Preview

Abstract

In this blog post, I consider my critical engagement with my positionality beyond reflexivity to self-reflexivity. When conducting my literature search for my thesis, I noticed that self-reflexivity receives less attention when researchers choose to articulate their positionality in relation to their participants. My own research illuminates stories of intersectional invisibility (Purdie-Vaughns & Eibach, 2008) experienced by Black female teachers within English schools, but being a non-race-matched researcher (Vass, 2017) my positionality became a critical discussion in my thesis and viva. Although being racially and ethnically different from my research participants, I share some cultural commonality with participants who identify as African-Caribbean heritage, being from an Indo-Caribbean background myself. However, I faced a methodological and ethical challenge when a potential participant asked me, ‘Why are you researching us?’ In other words, I do not look like these women, my lived experiences are different, so why am I conducting a study on their lives? This is an extremely pertinent question in the context of my research. I was forced to reflect on my positionality, not just in terms of power relations as part of the ethics process, but also in terms of my own racial, ethnic, cultural and social position. This reflection went beyond a recognition and acknowledgement of my difference as a ‘shopping list of characteristics’ (Folkes, 2022, p. 1) or identities. Being asked, ‘Why are you researching us?’ illuminated my need to critically examine me, as the researcher. This raised questions for me: ‘Who exactly should be carrying out this research?’, ‘Who is best placed to convey the voices of Black female teachers?’, and ‘Is the best placed person really me?’

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	reflexivity, self-reflexivity, research, positionality
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races L Education > L Education (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Education (EDU)
Last Modified:	13 Feb 2026 14:05
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/52479

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads