The reflective participants: When participants join in the production of knowledge in qualitative research

Background and purpose In this presentation, we examine the role played by participants as they enter the research process. While participants' reflectivity engulfs a great potential for new constructed knowledge, it has not... [ view full abstract ]

Background and purpose
In this presentation, we examine the role played by participants as they enter the research process. While participants' reflectivity engulfs a great potential for new constructed knowledge, it has not received adequate conceptual or empirical attention by scholars of qualitative research. When researchers engage participants in an interview process, with every question they ask, they call upon the participants to reflect over their experiences, thoughts, emotions, behaviors, encounters with others, memories, etc. Participants narrate their life stories, experiences, or views regarding the phenomena at hand and decide to what extent to provide a detailed account. They may choose to fully relate to the experience, or they may keep themselves distant to enable themselves to contemplate, examine, explore, think, or analyze the experience in question. In order for one to engage oneself in reflective work, there must be some distance between the "observer" and the "observed" that enables a contemplative stance vis-à-vis the phenomena or experience in question.

Theme
Our presentation is attuned to both conference theme and the methodological sub-theme. It is part and parcel of the sub theme of "Social work research methodologies and theory building", in as much as it delineates a new mechanism geared towards the production of new knowledge derived from the research encounter. It also in congruence with the general theme of the conference as it re-visions the opportunities embedded in social work research.
Conclusions
The distance between the observer and the observed creates a liminal space wherein participants may step in and out of their own experiences. This liminal space serves as an opportunity for reflectivity, because it is that which enables being both inside and outside the studied phenomena, the precondition for adopting a reflective stance.

Keywords: Particpants-Reflectivity; Knowledge-production; Liminal-space; Qualitative-research