Best foot forward, watching your step, jumping in with both feet, or sticking your foot in it? The politics of researching academic viewpoints

Article

Saltmarsh, Sue, Sutherland-Smith, Wendy and Randell-Moon, Holly. 2011. "Best foot forward, watching your step, jumping in with both feet, or sticking your foot in it? The politics of researching academic viewpoints." Qualitative Research Journal. 11 (2), pp. 48-62. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ1102048
Article Title

Best foot forward, watching your step, jumping in with both feet, or sticking your foot in it? The politics of researching academic viewpoints

ERA Journal ID19980
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsSaltmarsh, Sue (Author), Sutherland-Smith, Wendy (Author) and Randell-Moon, Holly (Author)
Journal TitleQualitative Research Journal
Journal Citation11 (2), pp. 48-62
Number of Pages15
Year2011
PublisherEmerald
Place of PublicationBingley, West Yorkshire, UK
ISSN1443-9883
1448-0980
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ1102048
Web Address (URL)http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.3316/QRJ1102048
Abstract

This article presents our experiences of conducting research interviews with Australian academics, in order to reflect on the politics of researcher and participant positionality. In particular, we are interested in the ways that academic networks, hierarchies and cultures, together with mobility in the higher education sector, contribute to a complex discursive terrain in which researchers and participants alike must maintain vigilance about where they ‘put their feet’ in research interviews. We consider the implications for higher education research, arguing that the positionality of researchers and participants pervades and exceeds these specialised research situations.

Keywordsqualitative research, interview, higher education, academics, research ethics, politics of research
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020441006. Sociological methodology and research methods
390303. Higher education
390499. Specialist studies in education not elsewhere classified
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Byline AffiliationsAustralian Catholic University
Deakin University
Macquarie University
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
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