Abstract
This chapter invites the researcher to reflect on the question: “Where do I stand in relation to those I interview?” (Saeed, Between research and activism: The role of ‘organic intellectuals’ [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://blog.oup.com/2016/05/research-activism-organic-intellectuals-academia/, 2016). The answer is particularly relevant to those employing qualitative methodology and most especially to those investigating marginalised groups. The relationship between researcher and participant shapes an investigation and legitimises the production of knowledge. Philosophical assumptions related to subjectivity, value and truth enable the researcher to understand human decision-making and the consequential actions that arise from these decisions. Once cognisant of the constraints and the freedoms of these assumptions, the researcher is then able to enhance the rightful and appropriate agency of all stakeholders involved in the investigation.
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Mulligan, D.L. (2020). Activist Research: Real-World Reciprocity—A Provocation. In: Mulligan, D.L., Danaher, P.A. (eds) Researching Within the Educational Margins. Palgrave Studies in Education Research Methods. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48845-1_19
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