This special issue is devoted to reflexivity as an epistemic tool in qualitative research. We suggest a distinction between epistemically weak and epistemically strong reflexivity and present examples for strongly reflexive research from the German-speaking countries and the United Kingdom. The issue pursues three major goals: First, it provides a vocabulary to deepen the discussion about the epistemic dimensions of reflexivity. Second, it intervenes in hegemonic discourses on the “threat of subjectivity” and shows that approaches often perceived as “more subjective” and therefore less valid use, in fact, an epistemically stronger concept of reflexivity. Third, it offers insight into some innovative areas of strongly reflexive research in Europe. A comparison of these methodologies shows that the use of reflexivity as an epistemic tool is compatible with a wide range of approaches.

As early as 1967, the French ethno-psychoanalyst Georges Devereux proposed adopting a radical perspective on researchers’ subjectivity to the entire field of “behavioral sciences.” Whenever our research confronts us with other human beings and thus with ourselves, he argues, we are confronted with anxiety. Instead of fighting against this anxiety and other painful irritations that go hand in hand with any social research, Devereux’s proposal can thus be understood as an invitation to work with this anxiety and use it to gain deeper insights. This article suggests that we re-read Devereux in the light of the contemporary discussions on reflexivity and subjectivity based on (a) an outline and short interpretation of Devereux’s central argument, (b) a subjective re-reading by the author herself, and (c) an examination of some contemporary readings by other qualitative researchers.