Producing emotionally sensed knowledge? Reflexivity and emotions in researching responses to death

Evans, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4599-5270, Ribbens McCarthy, J., Bowlby, S., Wouango, J. and Kébé, F. (2017) Producing emotionally sensed knowledge? Reflexivity and emotions in researching responses to death. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 20 (6). pp. 585-598. ISSN 1364-5579 doi: 10.1080/13645579.2016.1257679

Abstract/Summary

This paper reflects on the methodological complexities of producing emotionally-sensed knowledge about responses to family deaths in urban Senegal. Through engaging in 'uncomfortable reflexivity', we critically explore the multiple positionings of the research team comprised of UK, Senegalese and Burkinabé researchers and those of participants in Senegal and interrogate our own cultural assumptions. We explore the emotional labour of the research process from an ethic of care perspective and reflect on how our multiple positionings and emotions influence the production and interpretation of the data, particularly exemplified through our differing responses to diverse meanings of 'family' and religious refrains. We show how our approach of 'uncomfortable reflexivity' helps to reveal the work of emotions in research, thereby producing 'emotionally sensed knowledge' about responses to death and contributing to the cross-cultural study of emotions.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/68229
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Human Environments Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Department of Geography and Environmental Science
Uncontrolled Keywords	Bereavement and responses to death Emotions in research Reflexivity and positionality Feminist ethic of care Meanings of 'family' Senegal, West Africa
Publisher	Taylor & Francis
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