Vulnerable listening: Possibilities and challenges of doing qualitative research.

Abstract

In this paper I reflect on an important and infrequently discussed aspect of qualitative research: listening. Listening is often imagined as easy. It is however, is a difficult skill that not only takes practice, but also comes with possibilities and challenges for a researcher. In an effort to develop and elaborate a practice of listening in a research context, I develop the idea of vulnerable listening and offer 3 scenarios from my own research. These include: (a) emotional dangers associated with listening, (b) the often unacknowledged role of the listener's body, and (c) the role of extreme emotions in research, such as feeling outraged. Drawing on my own experiences interviewing women diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, I highlight how researchers who collect data by listening might care for their own and others' vulnerability. Toward this end, I outline several strategies for researchers looking to support and maintain a practice of vulnerable listening.

COVID-19: Qualitative Research With Vulnerable Populations

“…Note. This table demonstrates strategies adapted from literature (Ellard-Gray et al, 2015;Finnegan & O'Donoghue, 2019;Fryer et al, 2016;Kadzin, 2003;Korstjens & Moser, 2017McClelland, 2017Morgan et al, 2016;Munhall, 2011a;Polit & Back, 2017;Ravitch & Carl, 2020;Renart et al, 2013;van Wijk, 2013).…”

“…One of the strategies, vulnerable listening, entails emotional dangers associated with listening, the listener's body, and extreme emotions (McClelland, 2017). In working with vulnerable populations, researchers are likely to cover sensitive topics, in which vulnerable listening can trigger certain emotions and experiences because the researcher is required to acknowledge their internal feelings or what is happening inside of them during data collection (McClelland, 2017). Table 4 provides several tips to consider for researchers doing work with vulnerable populations.…”

“…Researchers are encouraged to apply special skills and innovative techniques in collecting data to ensure quality research findings (Delaunay et al, 2020), while being supportive of the participants (see Table 3). Most importantly, vulnerable listening calls for the development of best practices for researchers to acknowledge the necessity of taking care of themselves when conducting research that involves listening to difficult or sensitive topics (see Table 4) (McClelland, 2017).…”

“…The researcher is able to address issues and concerns that stemmed from sensitive and emotional information shared (McClelland, 2017). Pace work: place gaps in between interviews and spread out tasks Allows time away from material, and emotional load can be diffused (McClelland, 2017;Gregory et al, 2020).…”

Working at the crossroads of pleasure and danger: Feminist perspectives on doing critical sexuality studies

“…Sara McClelland (2017) developed the concept of ‘vulnerable listening’ to highlight aspects of listening, including being emotionally affected by doing interview-based research, the role of the researcher’s body in the listening dynamic, and the unexplored role of feeling strong and often negative emotions about the material we listen to. This model recognizes the duality of vulnerability within the research dyad.…”