Community-Based Research Commons^™

Online Bilingual Co-Design: Developing Resources With People With Disability And Family Members From Refugee Backgrounds, Angela Dew, Mahmoud Murad, Louisa Smith, Joanne Watson, Kim Robinson, Maree Higgins, Cathy Preston-Thomas, Mardi Stow, Ingrid Culos, Mariano Coello, Shakeh Momartin, Christian Astourian, Kelley Johnson, Caroline Lenette, Katherine Boydell

The Qualitative Report

People with disability from Syrian and Iraqi refugee backgrounds living in Australia have limited access to information and resources in Arabic language. Our study aim was to use a co-design process to create a suite of Arabic-language resources to increase information access and build capacity of people with disability and family members from refugee backgrounds to use services, and of disability and refugee services to provide relevant support. Following a rapid literature review about access to supports and services for people with disability from refugee backgrounds, workshops were held with 38 people with disability and family members from Syrian and …

On Restorative Validity: Reorienting Inquiry Toward Peace, Justice, And Healing, Giovanni P. Dazzo

The Qualitative Report

This work begins with a simple premise: (re)imagining a healing and restorative space for inquiry. Drawing on the work of John H. Stanfield II (2006), who first suggested the restorative functions of qualitative inquiry, this manuscript forms the basis for an axiologically-actuated conceptual model, restorative validity, which asks what it would take to (re)humanize researcher and researched alike. Beginning with the knowledge of co-researchers in our collective, the formulation of this framework was organized to understand the importance of orienting our research and ourselves toward relationships, justice, and liberation. After this review, I discuss a series of reflexive questions, rooted …

Community Gatekeepers: Power, Pitfalls And Possibilities When Recruiting And Researching Black, Asian, And Minority Ethnic (Bame) Participants, Nadia K. Bashir

The Qualitative Report

Using data from a large primarily qualitative research project on how people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities experience and access health services, this methodological article focuses on the role of the community gatekeeper – a role that has significance for research teams globally when attempting to involve those facing multiple forms of exclusion. Drawing on standpoint feminist principles and using a reflexive approach, researcher positionality, situated knowledges, and the power dynamics between researchers, participants, and community gatekeepers are reflected upon. Addressing a gap in the literature by providing real-life examples of the power and influence of gatekeepers …

Pandemic Rendering The Transgender People More Vulnerable, As If It Was Not Already Enough: A Qualitative Exploration From Odisha, India, Prachi Parimita Rout, Ajitesh Mathur, Pranaya Kumar Swain

The Qualitative Report

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted people's livelihoods worldwide to an unprecedented magnitude, the most affected being the socially and economically disadvantaged and marginalized communities, including the transgender people that constitute one of the most vulnerable sections that are often subjected to discriminated in various sectors such as education, health, housing, and livelihood opportunities. The present study attempts to offer insights into the impact of the pandemic on the livelihood of transgender people in India, given that the pandemic adversely affected their primary sources of livelihood, such as begging, sex-work, singing, and dancing, due mainly to the restrictive measures: lockdown, shutdown, social/physical …

Ethnographic Case-Study Design For Discovering Identities In Russian Post-Industrial Neighbourhoods, Elizaveta Polukhina

The Qualitative Report

In the 20th century of industrialization, case-study research design was related to organizations, however in the 21st century of deindustrialization the post-industrial neighborhoods could serves as an indicator of neo-liberal policies and as a reference space for identity studies. However, the instruments of these studies are still poorly described, which limits this type of research design and the comparative analysis of similar neighborhoods in the global context. This paper describes the methodology and insights from three ethnographic case-studies of neighbourhoods—a type of field research focused on detailed inquiry with multiple methods of data collection. This paper follows the Chicago School …

Research Beyond The Ivory Tower: A Book Review Of Researching With: A Decolonizing Approach To Community-Based Action Research, Wesley D. Cohoon

The Qualitative Report

This is a book review of Researching With: A Decolonizing Approach to Community-Based Action Research by Jessica Smartt Gullion and Abigail Tilton. The authors are both university professors and Deans who respectively specialize in Sociology and Social Work. The book uses qualitative research as it seeks to merge academia with the professional world. Researching With teaches academics to come alongside their study participants and apply research in professional contexts. I offered a critical analysis of Researching With by identifying themes and concepts that will benefit both expert and beginner researchers. The book will help readers frame research questions and understand …

Puhi In The Tree And Other Stories: Unlocking The Metaphor In Native And Indigenous Hawaiian Storytelling, Renuka M. De Silva, Joshua E. Hunter

The Qualitative Report

Human beings live and tell stories for many reasons, and it is a way to not only understand one another but to give a time and place to events and experiences. Therefore, a narrational approach within the context of this research offers a frame of reference and a way to reflect during the entire process of gathering data and writing. This study examines the importance of storytelling among Native (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi) and Indigenous (Kānaka Maoli) women of Hawai ̒ i and their interconnectedness to land and spirituality through accessing [k]new knowledge. The main focus of this article is to illustrate …

Qualitative Research In The Politically Hostile Environment Of Zimbabwe: A Practical Guide, Gabriel Musasa

The Qualitative Report

Globally, qualitative researchers in the academic or non-academic fields are constantly faced with the complexity of fieldwork in conducting their research in a specific environment. Despite the understanding that researchers have of the techniques to use in their research approach, a gap remains on obtaining data in different, unique contexts of society: the cultural, economic and political. The purpose of this paper is to provide a practical guide for researchers who intend to conduct qualitative research in the politically hostile environment of Zimbabwe based on the experiences of the author during the fieldwork for a PhD study. The main focus …

Application Of Rigour And Credibility In Qualitative Document Analysis: Lessons Learnt From A Case Study, Leanne M. Wood, Bernadette Sebar, Nerina Vecchio

The Qualitative Report

This paper probes functions and processes of qualitative document analysis (QDA), a method widely used in case study research. It firstly demonstrates the application of a QDA framework to inform a case study of women entrepreneurs in rural Australia; and provides insights into the lessons learnt, including strengths and limitations of QDA. Secondly, the paper provides guidelines for novice researchers seeking to use thematic analysis in a QDA process, arguing for rigour in naming assumptions and explicitness about the procedures employed. The paper contributes to discussion in the literature that positions QDA not only as a convenient tool, but as …

Bringing Research To Life: A Review Of Leavy’S Research Design, Alexandra Ch Nowakowski

The Qualitative Report

In this review, I examine the contents, themes, and possibilities of Patricia Leavy’s Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods, Arts-Based, and Community-Based Participatory Approaches. Specifically, I outline the (1) contents of the book in relation to its development of research methodology and potential for use in research methods classes, and (2) the usefulness of this text for bettering and diversifying pedagogical approaches to social research methods. Further, I discuss limitations in the work in terms of possibilities for future additions or expansions teachers may add to the use of this book in courses. In conclusion, I offer overall thoughts …

Un-Naming Collaboration: An Unexpected Catalyst For Understanding Participation In Critical Ethnography, Allison Anders, Joshua Diem

The Qualitative Report

In this article, we trace interactions with participants in two different research projects. Although the research settings were different, we focus on what the projects had in common: a commitment to collaboration, methodological training from the same faculty, and our respective decisions to turn away from labeling our work collaborative deep into each project’s development. In a narrative as chronicle, we represent ways each project unfolded and then why each of us abandoned claims of collaboration. Specifically, we share the critical positions we staked early in our research designs and the communication with participants that taught us to un-name what …

Qualitative Methods And Respectful Praxis: Researching With Youth, Susan Tilley, Leanne Taylor

The Qualitative Report

In this article, we report on findings from a critical literature review of qualitative methods in youth-focused research. The articles reviewed cover an array of methods including those used traditionally in qualitative research and others more recently established. We identify methods that involve youth in general and youth marginalized and/or criminalized within institutional structures, more specifically. We explore the ethical implications of researching with youth, institutional and in situ, a theme that emerged in the literature reviewed. We highlight the tensions, challenges, and power issues arising in the context of research with youth. We close with arguments for methods that …

Developing And Implementing A Participatory Action Research Assistantship Program At The Community College, Mia Ocean, Kelli Tigertail, James Keller, Kathleen Woods

The Qualitative Report

Despite serving almost half of the U.S. undergraduate students, community colleges and their constituents are consistently marginalized in the research favoring external university experts to conduct research about them and on them. To counteract these top down, disempowering research practices, we piloted a Participatory Action Research Assistantship Program (PARAP). A PARAP is a modified version of a research assistantship program that is grounded in an anti-oppressive, participatory action research practice, creating change on many levels. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of practical and methodological steps to implement a PARAP at a community college including forming …

Participant Observation: Enhancing The Impact Measurement In Community Based Participatory Research, Brent Hammer, Fay Fletcher, Alicia Hibbert

The Qualitative Report

Participant observation parallels the principles of community based participatory research (CBPR), recognizing that each community should be understood in its own context. Using fieldnotes from the Métis Settlements Life Skills Journey (MSLSJ) program, the authors explore the benefits and challenges of using participant observation in CBPR program evaluation. Participant observation was incorporated in 2014 and 2015 as researchers sought a complementary perspective and context to determine the impact of the program. The authors explore relationships with a large number of stakeholders (children, facilitators, community members, and project staff) and discuss ensuring the participant observer’s perspective is not privileged above others.

Logistical Lessons Learned In Designing And Executing A Photo-Elicitation Study In The Veterans Health Administration, Michael A. Mitchell, Daniel O. Hedayati, Keri L. Rodriguez, Adam J. Gordon, Lauren M. Broyles, Gala True, Salva N. Balbale, James W. Conley

The Qualitative Report

Participatory photography research methods have been used to successfully engage and collect in-depth information from individuals whose voices have been traditionally marginalized in clinical or research arenas. However, participatory photography methods can introduce unique challenges and considerations regarding study design, human subject protections, and other regulatory barriers, particularly with vulnerable patient populations and in highly regulated institutions. Practical guidance on navigating these complex, interrelated methodological, logistical, and ethical issues is limited. Using a case exemplar, we describe our experiences with the planning, refinement, and initiation of a research study that used photo-elicitation interviews to assess the healthcare experiences of homeless …

Using Photography As A Creative, Collaborative Research Tool, Ailsa Winton

The Qualitative Report

Drawing on debates in the complementary fields of participatory, youth and visual research methods, the paper discusses an experimental photography project carried out as part of a broader study with young people in Mexico City on spatial experience, belonging and exclusion. The paper describes the mechanics of the project, considers the kind of data it produced, and discusses the different outcomes for participants and researcher, including its difficulties and limitations. It finds that the creative, collaborative approach used has potential for opening the research process to embrace creative, reflexive, complicated “selves,” but warns that this outcome is not automatic: collaboration …

Recursive Frame Analysis: A Qualitative Research Method For Mapping Change-Oriented Discourse, Hillary Keeney, Bradford Keeney, Ronald Chenail

The Qualitative Report Books

Recursive Frame Analysis (RFA) is a qualitative research method for mapping and analyzing change-oriented conversation. Cybernetician and therapist Bradford Keeney invented RFA over twenty years ago as a means of discerning and indicating the bare bones organization of real-time therapeutic performance. This book revisits some of Keeney’s original ideas while providing a more exhaustive theoretical foundation for RFA, a thorough exploration of its practical application as a research tool, and several detailed analyses of therapy sessions.

Rooted to Gregory Bateson’s notion of contextual frame and the way that a distinction can recursively operate on itself as formulated by G. Spencer-Brown’s …

Metaphoric Generative Genograms: A Journey To Bring Genograms To Life Through Metaphorical Components, Elisa Garcia

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to offer a greater understanding of the potential of genograms through my clinical work from a Bowen Family Systems lens. I account for how I processed and effectively blended metaphorical components, by examining six cases from my two-year journal entries, of bringing genograms to life in sessions. I also explain how I created a useful tool, the Metaphoric Generative Genogram, that can benefit other clinicians working with children and families in the foster care community.

Perpetrator And Victim Constructions Of Justice, Forgiveness And Trauma Healing: Results Of A Thematic Narrative Study Of Intra-Group Conflict In Colonial Central Kenya, 1952-1962, Daniel Njoroge Karanja

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigated how the Gikuyu people of central Kenya understood justice, forgiveness and trauma healing or their absence during a decade of intra-group reciprocal violence. This qualitative research study employed the narrative research method utilizing the "Williams Model" (Riessman, 2008). Field interviews were guided by a primary research question: What do the narratives of perpetrators and victims in reciprocal violence reveal about their understanding of justice, forgiveness and trauma healing or their absence? Fourteen research participants aged 78 to 92 years shared their full narratives. Current conflict analysis literature overwhelmingly centers on the victims and less on perpetrators. The …

The Edward Bliss Emerson Journal Project: Qualitative Research By A Non-Hierarchical Team, José G. Rigau-Pérez, Silvia E. Rabionet, Annette B. Ramírez De Arellano, Wilfredo A. Géigel, Alma Simounet, Raúl Mayo-Santana

The Qualitative Report Books

Edward Bliss Emerson (1805-1834), a younger brother of the renowned essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, lived in the Caribbean for the final three years of his life. His journal and letters are a rich manuscript source for the history of the Danish Virgin Islands (1831-1832) and Puerto Rico (1831-1834). The texts also reflect the contemporary political and cultural situation in the United States, and Edward's search for health, economic independence, intellectual stimulation and metaphysical fulfillment.

These writings ignited an intellectual passion in José G. Rigau-Pérez, a physician, medical epidemiologist, and historian in Puerto Rico. Furthering access to these unique …