Navigating the researchers position in sensitive topic research
The first time I did research on a topic considered sensitive in nature, I had many apprehensions before fieldwork. I had ensured that I was at the highest level of preparedness — with my discussion guide being extremely detailed, my dressing being appropriately chosen for a rural setting in India, a checklist of words in Hindi that I might have to use, and a number of ways to break into a considerably taboo topic. I was also extremely conscious of what I stood for in the minds of the women I would be speaking to, how they might be uncomfortable to speak to me about something so personal, and how I could ensure that their consent was truly being taken. There was a plan for everything. I had left little room to screw up. Luckily for me I had done in-depth research in the past in urban settings so I had a sense of what planning for the field meant. However, when I was in the location of research I was forced to let go of some of my plans and improvise. In this written piece I will try to present my learnings on how I navigated my own position, and hope that it helps in the way a researcher might position themselves in an environment that is unfamiliar.
My biggest learning was a shift perspective when looking at qualitative research. Research conversations are really nothing but a human relationship that you form with another person sometimes for the time span that you speak to them for, and sometimes for much longer if you end up staying in touch with people. The best you can do is learn, and leave the person you are speaking with, a conversation or interaction they can remember, as being, if not fruitful, at the very least, pleasant. This leads me to how you think of yourself as a researcher in the context of your environment. Over some time of doing the research, and adapting to the environment, and genuinely connecting with the women I was speaking to, I realised that I was a part of the environment and not outside of it. Learnings came as a reaction to what I was putting out, and I was the one learning, not just through information but also through experiences. My biases, previous knowledge, empathy, connection with the individual, played an important role in what was found. I was having the conversations, and those conversations would be very different if someone else was having them. This shift in perspective allowed me to loosen up and actually engage with women in an honest and genuine manner, and not just in a mechanical following a discussion guide sort of way. It also opened up the study itself because I became more open to stepping outside the discussion guide and learning more about other things that I may not have considered being connected to the topic when I made my discussion guide.
I remember being concerned about the fact that I was an unmarried woman speaking about things like reproductive and sexual health, and that knowing that might affect the way that women spoke to me or how seriously they took me. I considered hiding that fact briefly, and I did for my first few conversations. However, I realised very quickly that I had assumptions about how women thought, and how careful I had to be. In a safe space where there were only women, there was very little judgement, and more often than not the fact that I was an unmarried urban woman in India made them comfortable and feel not judged, in turn allowing them to truly open up to me. More than anything else, I believe that people sense honesty and genuineness, and even while doing research being honest about yourself and having a genuine interaction helps the person in front of you reciprocate those values.
All of us, including researchers have biases, insecurities, and assumptions — about the topic of research, the people being spoken to, about the world at large etc. All these become active in the research environment, and affect the way we ask questions, have conversations, and exist in a space. I have found it useful to be self aware while doing research (even journalling regularly when on field) because it allows you to accept these assumptions, biases, and insecurities in your conversations with people. This in turn, gives them the space to respond in their own way, and from their own position within their environment. For example, I went into conversations with the assumption that women would be extremely uncomfortable speaking about topics like abortion or contraception, and while that was true for a few women, for the most part they were extremely open about it, and had very little hesitation (if any) in speaking about personal experiences. Having said that, it is crucial to be empathetic to their desire to want to speak about something, and when that empathy is picked up on, you will get genuine conversations and experiences. The difference really is that you are then being deliberate about empathy rather than hesitantly approaching a topic, and that instils much more confidence in the researcher to have a conversation.
Whatever you may think about yourself, your ways of being and existing in society or the world lends you a certain degree of power depending on who you are. This power plays an important role in research. If you are a white person in a rural village in India you are probably going to face a lot of gawking, and get uncomfortable amounts of hospitality and respect. If you are a privileged man from urban India you will get more respect than a privileged woman from urban India. As a privileged unmarried woman from urban India (which is where I would position myself), I got a fair bit of respect from women in rural Indian villages. I was seen as educated, rich, and culturally different. Just my position gave me more power over the women, and this was an accepted dynamic in their minds. It is the responsibility of the researcher who knows this, to not use this dynamic to their benefit, and instead make sure that in the interaction they are constantly mindful of it, and are providing enough choices and ways for the person to opt out of a question or topic of conversation that they might be uncomfortable with. It is also the responsibility of the researcher to try and step out of that power dynamic, by setting context about the research, introducing themselves, by conversing with humility, and/or using appropriate research tools. Being mindful and accepting of power dynamics at play allows the researcher to work around them instead of trying to dismiss them.
Lastly, It is important to understand that a research study will have an effect on you as the researcher and giving yourself time and space to heal, particularly if the conversations are around topics that are troubling in nature. For an introvert like me, conversations take up immense amounts of energy. This is not to say that I don’t love having them, its just to say that I probably require a little more time to recover, and it is okay to take that time. Qualitative research due to the level of engagement required becomes personal, and it is important to recuperate. In some cases if the researcher is extremely disturbed it is also a good idea to try therapy. Researchers must allow themselves to reflect and heal because research is not only about gathering information through conversations, it is also about experiencing some of the learnings and gathering tacit and sensory knowledge. This can often leave you sapped of energy.
I have found journalling as a great way to deal with everything mentioned above, and I highly recommend researchers to have a personal journal alongside their field notes diary when on field. It’s also great to set aside time everyday to reflect on the day gone by and prepare (mentally and emotionally) for the next day. If there is more than one researcher, it’s great to have conversations and help each other out. I can tell you that from personal experience. It is one of the most therapeutic things — to have someone who is pretty much in the same position as you are, sharing your experience and being able to converse with you through it. Lastly, every research stint in a location/environment is a packed experience of emotional ups and downs, and moments of reflection and understanding. Try and enjoy it and make the most out of it.
