Practising reflexivity: Ethics, methodology and theory construction

Abstract

Reflexivity as a concept and practice is widely recognized and acknowledged in qualitative social science research. In this article, through an account of the ‘reflexive moments’ I encountered during my doctoral research, which employed critical theory perspective and constructivist grounded theory methodology, I elaborate how ethics, methodology and theory construction are intertwined. Further, I dwell on the significance of reflexivity, particularly in qualitative research analysing bioethics concepts. Through an account of the universal ethical principles that ‘I’, as a researcher, encounter, and a micro-analysis of the observed relationships that influence the theoretical construction and arguments developed, I explore the quandaries an ethics researcher undertaking a reflexive approach faces. I elucidate that reflexivity unveils – for both researcher and reader – how the researcher(s) arrive(s) at certain positions during the knowledge construction process. I conclude by stating that reflexivity demystifies the moral and epistemological stances of both the study and researcher(s).

Reflexive Integration of Research Elements (RIRE)

“…Place-reflexivity concerns how researchers can "reflect on the location and context and the wider environment" during fieldwork (p. 990). Similar to Subramani (2019), reflexive integration of research elements relies on reflexive moments to activate a deliberate decision-making process to draw inspiration from elements of qualitative or quantitative research into a MMR project.…”

‘If you didn’t laugh, you’d cry’: Emotional labour, reflexivity and ethics-as-practice in a qualitative fieldwork context

“…One of the difficulties researchers face as they stumble into 'ethically important moments' (Guillemin and Gillam, 2004; see also Subramani, 2019) is that they are often emotionally fraught affairs. While the well-being, safety and protection of research participants is rightly prioritised in professional guidelines, our ability to fulfil these promises remains partly contingent on our own emotional command of the situation.…”

Reflexive Integration of Research Elements (RIRE)

“…Reflexivity has been advanced as methodological tool and practice to do something in response to "reflexive moments" experienced during research. This has included but is not limited to constructing arguments or making notations in an interview transcript to interpret silence (Morison & Macleod, 2014;Subramani, 2019). Swaminathan and Mulvihill (2019) frame reflexivity as a methodological tool complete with an explicit acronym, VISION, to facilitate what they term "place-reflexivity."…”