Routledge The Politics and Ethics of Representation in Qualitative Research: Addressing Moments of Discomfort

This book offers insights on politics and ethics of representation that are relevant to researchers concerned with struggles for justice. It takes moments of discomfort in the qualitative research process as important sites of knowledge for exploring representational practices in critical research. The Politics and Ethics of Representation in Qualitative Research draws on experiences from research processes in nine PhD projects. In some chapters, ethical and political dilemmas related to representational practices are analyzed as experienced in fieldwork. In others, the focus is on the production of representation at the stage of writing. The book deals with questions such as: What does it mean to write about the lives of others? How are ethics and politics of representation intertwined, and how are they distinct? How are politics of representation linked to a practice of solidarity in research? What are the im/possibilities of hope and care in research? Drawing on grounded empirical research, the book offers input to students, PhDs, researchers, practitioners, activists and others dealing with methodological dilemmas from a critical perspective. Instead of ignoring discomforts, or describing them as solved, we stay with them, showing how such a reflective process provides new, ongoing insights. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780429299674, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license. Review "Formed from slow critical dialogue and intellectual love, The Critical Methodology Collective offer us a profound gift. Not so much prescriptive guidance but rather the keen attentiveness, close description and patient vulnerability that comes from years of close examination of nine feminist research projects. An extraordinary read, an extraordinary feat." -- Yasmin Gunaratnam, Sociology Department, Goldsmiths College, UK "This pathbreaking book is a must read for scholars and activists, PhD students, professors and NGO researchers. It challenges assumptions, demanding we reflect on power, privilege and political practice in research relationships. You will think and do research differently after reading it." -- Bridget Anderson, Professor of Migration, Mobilities and Citizenship, University of Bristol, UK "This book stands out in form and content. It is written by a collective of young feminist researchers, and addresses questions central to the social sciences. Sharing a sense of discomfort, the authors raise important – and often ignored – ethical issues in qualitative research. It is a book that all serious scholars should read." -- Johanna Esseveld, Professor Emerita, Department of Sociology, Lund University, Sweden About the Author The Critical Methodologies Collective consists of nine feminist researchers early in their careers with a shared interest in, and discomfort of, doing critical research. The members come from varied social, political and academic backgrounds, with roots and routes in Denmark, Finland, India, Iran, Poland, Sweden, Turkey and the UK.