Researching stigma as an outsider: considerations for qualitative outsider research. Issue 3 (2nd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wigginton, Britta; Setchell, Jenny
• Is Part Of: Qualitative research in psychology. Volume 13:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 246
• Page End: 263
• Publication Date: 2016-07-02
• Subjects: insider/outsider research -- outsider status -- membership status -- stigma -- reflexivity -- ethics -- qualitative research; Psychology -- Research -- Periodicals; Qualitative research -- Periodicals; 150.72
• DOI: 10.1080/14780887.2016.1183065
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-0887

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In this article, we discuss a number of important considerations that we have encountered in the process of researching health stigma topics as "outsiders": researchers (personally) unfamiliar with the experience or topic under study. In particular, we discuss the importance of the following: a reflective stance, challenging negative representations, flexible and sensitive recruitment strategies, validating experiences of stigma, and participant control and power. We see these points as particularly important in the context of researching stigma as outsiders, where our privilege may contribute to unhelpful, narrow, de-politicized or overly simplistic representations of particular "groups" or experiences. We share these considerations in hope of assisting other researchers to reflect on, and articulate, how they negotiate their positionings within their research and the ways in which they shape and construct the research agenda and, by implication, the people or topics under examination.