What is positionality in qualitative research?
Introduction
In the qualitative research process, the researcher is the main instrument of data collection, making positionality an important aspect to acknowledge in research. When you conduct research in the social sciences, it is essential for you and your research team to account for researcher identities such as gender, social class, sexual orientation, and other factors, especially if they are relevant to the research topic.
In this article, we’ll look at the importance of the researcher’s identity in qualitative research, then we’ll discuss how a researcher can write about their positionality for an international journal or conference.
What is positionality in qualitative research?
Quantitative research is typically straightforward; two plus two always equals four and the speed of light is always constant. The knowledge generated from this sort of research is seen as objective and universal.
Qualitative research, on the other hand, is more subjective in the interpretation of data. Every individual, whether they are the researcher or the participant, looks at the social world in entirely different ways.
When it comes to a researcher’s own study, this degree of subjectivity can inform their research methods, research questions, and existing assumptions about the concept or phenomenon they are looking to study.
As a result, the researcher needs to acknowledge their own positionality to contextualize their data collection and data analysis.
Positionality refers to a number of self-identifications ranging from the researcher’s background, personal experiences, gender identity, national origin, and other factors that the researcher brings to the research process.
It can also be an acknowledgment of their outsider status relative to the study participants, personal stories about interactions or power dynamics with the study population, or life experiences that bring the researcher to the research question they are addressing.
Positionality is also related to the concept of reflexivity. Both concepts rely on an acknowledgment of the researcher’s own background and identity and how these may influence the researcher’s interpretations.
While a positionality statement benefits the research audience, the act of reflexivity compels the researcher to become aware of their own influence on the field they are observing. This is an important principle not only for collecting rich data but also for conducting research in an ethical manner.
