Researching death, dying and bereavement: tales of grounded theory, reflexivity and compassion

2021 ◽  
pp. 146879412110005
Author(s):  
Carla Jane Kennedy ◽  
Fiona Gardner

Immersing researchers in sensitive and emotive topics such as death, dying and bereavement may result in periods of conflicting logical thoughts and subjective feelings that need to be acknowledged and supported. The question to be answered in this research was ‘How do we create compassionate schools?’ which led to the interviewing of bereaved school community members in regional areas in Victoria, Australia. As anticipated, Carla, one of the researchers who had experienced recent family deaths was challenged by particular issues arising in interviews and through the transcribing process. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to discuss this complexity, with grounded theory as a conduit, reflexivity and critical reflection as combined tools and compassion as a way forward. We draw upon Carla’s methodological reflective journal and current health literature concerning sensitive topics in qualitative research. Recommendations of how to support researchers and research teams managing sensitive topics are provided and suggestions of how compassion can be achieved and extended to researchers are offered.

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 181-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jürgen Weibler ◽  
Sigrid Rohn-Endres

This paper develops an understanding of how shared leadership emerges in social network interactions. On the basis of a qualitative research design (grounded theory methodology – GTM) our study in two interorganizational networks offers insights into the interplay between structures, individuals, and the collective for the emergence of shared network leadership (SNL). The network-specific Gestalt of SNL appears as a pattern of collective and individual leadership activities unified under the roof of a highly developed learning conversation. More importantly, our findings support the idea that individual network leadership would not emerge without embeddedness in certain high-quality collective processes of relating and dialogue. Both theoretical and practical implications of this original network leadership perspective are discussed.


2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clarissa Sammut Scerri ◽  
Angela Abela ◽  
Arlene Vetere

This paper attempts to illuminate some of the ethical dilemmas of a clinician/researcher interviewing women about a sensitive topic- their experience of having witnessed domestic violence in the family they grew up in, as part of a grounded theory study. Vignettes are presented to illustrate the self-reflexive process of the researcher and how she understood the effects of the interview process on her and the participants. The authors argue that doing in-depth qualitative research interviewing is an intervention in the life of the participants, especially, but not only, when the researchers are clinically-trained. However, this clinical training may also be an important resource from which to draw from, to act ethically and understand some of the complexity of the interaction between researcher and participants.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy Charmaz

The pragmatist roots of constructivist grounded theory make it a useful method for pursuing critical qualitative inquiry. Pragmatism offers ways to think about critical qualitative inquiry; constructivist grounded theory offers strategies for doing it. Constructivist grounded theory fosters asking emergent critical questions throughout inquiry. This method also encourages (a) interrogating the taken-for-granted methodological individualism pervading much of qualitative research and (b) taking a deeply reflexive stance called methodological self-consciousness, which leads researchers to scrutinize their data, actions, and nascent analyses. The article outlines how to put constructivist grounded theory into practice and ends with where this practice could take us.


Author(s):  
Tahir Ali ◽  
Petra Topaz Buergelt ◽  
Douglas Paton ◽  
James Arnold Smith ◽  
Elaine Lawurrpa Maypilama ◽  
...  

The Sendai Framework of Action 2015–2030 calls for holistic Indigenous disaster risk reduction (DRR) research. Responding to this call, we synergized a holistic philosophical framework (comprising ecological systems theory, symbolic interactionism, and intersectionality) and social constructionist grounded theory and ethnography within a critical Indigenous research paradigm as a methodology for exploring how diverse individual and contextual factors influence DRR in a remote Indigenous community called Galiwinku, in the Northern Territory of Australia. Working together, Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers collected stories in local languages using conversations and yarning circles with 20 community members, as well as participant observations. The stories were interpreted and analysed using social constructivist grounded theory analysis techniques. The findings were dialogued with over 50 community members. The findings deeply resonated with the community members, validating the trustworthiness and relevance of the findings. The grounded theory that emerged identified two themes. First, local Indigenous knowledge and practices strengthen Indigenous people and reduce the risks posed by natural hazards. More specifically, deep reciprocal relationships with country and ecological knowledge, strong kinship relations, Elder’s wisdom and authority, women and men sharing power, and faith in a supreme power/God and Indigenous-led community organizations enable DRR. Second, colonizing practices weaken Indigenous people and increase the risks from natural hazards. Therefore, colonization, the imposition of Western culture, the government application of top-down approaches, infiltration in Indigenous governance systems, the use of fly-in/fly-out workers, scarcity of employment, restrictions on technical and higher education opportunities, and overcrowded housing that is culturally and climatically unsuitable undermine the DRR capability. Based on the findings, we propose a Community-Based DRR theory which proposes that facilitating sustainable Indigenous DRR in Australian Indigenous communities requires Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners to genuinely work together in two-directional and complementary ways.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 157-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohanad Halaweh

The aim of this article is to demonstrate how social media and grounded theory methods can be integrated to constitute a sound research methodology for qualitative researchers. This article conceptualizes three models for using social media for research. Using the observational model, the social media grounded theory (SMGT) methodology was developed. This article provides practical methodological guidance, in a step-by-step approach, to what is referred to as SMGT methodology, which can be applied by researchers. This article provides a unique contribution to qualitative research because no previous research has provided similar conceptual integration and development using social media and grounded theory.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-122
Author(s):  
Saud Saif Albusaidi

This paper critiques an article, which sheds light on the internationalisation of the curriculum. When classified within the main Western paradigms: positivism, interpretivism, critical theory and postmodernism, her article can be within the interpretivism. These paradigms are highlighted in this paper to engage the reader in critical reflection and to emphasise the differences between these paradigms. Big-tent markers, which are applied to evaluate the quality of qualitative research, are then critically implemented to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of that article in line with providing relevant suggestions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 6-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof T. Konecki

I would like to present the possibility of broadening the traditional methodological and technical skills of researcher and analyst, but also the intellectual capacity of the researcher associated with combining data, categorizing, linking categories, as well as the interpretation of the causes and consequences of the emergence of certain social phenomena. Some methodologies, methods, and research techniques are more conducive to creative conceptual and interpretive solutions. Therefore, I describe the serendipity phenomenon in such methodologies as grounded theory, ethnography, phenomenological research, and contemplative inquiry. The problem of intuition in qualitative research will be also described in the paper. There will be presented also some suggestions how to be creative in qualitative research. From the review of issues of creativity in qualitative research we can derive the following conclusions: Creativity in qualitative research depends on the strength of a priori conceptualization and stiffness of the adapted methods of research and analysis. If the methodology is more flexible (as the methodology of grounded theory), the researcher can get to phenomena that he/she has not realized and which are still scantily explored in his/her field of expertise. The phenomenological and contemplative approaches allow the use of the investigator’s feelings and experience as they appear in the studied phenomena, which usually does not take place in objectifying and positivistic research. The investigator may therefore consciously use these methodologies and approaches that foster creativity. The researchers can improve their skills in thinking and creative action by doing some methodical exercises (journal writing, writing poetry as a summary of the collected data, the use of art as representation of the phenomenon, the use of meditation, observation of the body feelings, humor, etc.).


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 390
Author(s):  
Ilham Junaid ◽  
Nur Salam ◽  
Muh. Arfin M. Salim

Wakatobi regency has been chosen as a ten-top priority tourism destination in Indonesia. It provides the opportunity for the local community to obtain benefits through tourism. The aims of this research are 1) to study the expectation of the community related to the management of homestay as accommodation business; 2) to analyse challenges and provide recommendations concerning how to implement community-based tourism on the perspective of community as the organiser of the homestay. Qualitative research conducted in March 2018 by visiting Wakatobi for participant observation and interviews three community members or homestay managers, two tour guides and two people from the tourism industry (accommodation). The research indicates that tourism has encouraged the local community to manage homestay, although there are members of the community require motivation and support to understand the significances of managing homestay and tourism. The management of homestay by the local community links to the implementation of community-based tourism and to optimise the management of homestay; it is necessary to provide sustainable training for the local community as well as to empower people through local tourism organisation. Key attractors such as activities and alternative attractions for the visitors are essential for the management of homestay. Limited numbers of tourists who choose homestay to become the challenge for homestay management, thus, the local community expects that the increasing number of tourists as well as a willingness by tourists to choose homestay as their accommodation. 


Author(s):  
Jeffrey Radloff ◽  
Cole Joslyn ◽  
Brenda Capobianco

The purpose of this action research study was to critically examine the use of action research as a mechanism to enhance graduate students’ development as emerging qualitative researchers. Although action research has been recognized as an effective means of transforming teaching practices, studies examining its use among graduate students learning to become qualitative researchers are lacking. Participants profiled in this study include two graduate students and one teacher educator. The context of the study was a graduate level course on action research where all three participants identified starting points, employed distinct action strategies, engaged in sustained, critical reflection, and developed metaphors representing their living educational theories of their practice. Results from this study indicate that each participant gained a deeper self-awareness and understanding of enacting qualitative research and furthermore, recognized action research as a powerful humanizing agent.


Author(s):  
Peter Rich

Qualitative research methods have long set an example of rich description, in which data and researchers’ hermeneutics work together to inform readers of findings in specific contexts. Among published works, insight into the analytical process is most often represented in the form of methodological propositions or research results. This paper presents a third type of qualitative report, one in which the researcher’s process of coding, finding themes, and arriving at findings is the focus. Grounded theory analysis methods were applied to the interpretation of a single interview. The resulting document provides a narrative of the process one researcher followed when attempting to apply recommended methodological procedures to a single interview, providing a peek inside the black box of analysis often left unopened in final reports.


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