Both/and: researcher as participant in qualitative inquiry

Abstract

Purpose Within the conversation about insider/outsider positioning, little has been written about qualitative research when the researcher is also a participant. This article describes a unique situation in which co-researchers (doctoral interns) were also interviewees, inhabiting dual roles within a single study. Its purpose is to examine the potential benefits of this experience for the professional development of new qualitative researchers. Design/methodology/approach Reflections of the two co-researchers (doctoral interns) - taken from journals, memos, and team debriefing meetings - are analyzed thematically thematically by the lead researcher. Data extracts are used to illustrate key themes and illuminate cross-cultural comparisons. Findings The paper presents three core themes relating to vulnerability, and disclosure. The interns' participant/researcher experience sensitized them to the experience of those whose stories they sought to represent, suggesting that participation may offer a valuable means for developing research skills, just as the experience of personal therapy can help to develop clinical skills in the new therapist. Practical implications Despite the limited scope of this paper (i.e., the experience of two doctoral interns), findings suggest that the direct experience of non-dichotomized identity may be a useful way for a new researcher to appreciate the importance of relinquishing role, distance, and presumed authority within a post-modern framework of mutuality and co-construction. Originality/value In addition to the uniqueness of this experience of inhabiting dual roles within the research process, the interns’ different cultural backgrounds – and their different responses – suggests that cultural notions of position, authority, and relationship need to be taken into account in the professional development of new qualitative researchers.