The Tension Between Story Collecting and Story Telling in Research

Key Insights

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  The ethical dilemma in story collecting extends beyond ownership to who controls and legitimizes the narrative—the participant or the researcher.

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  Stories are fundamental to human identity and meaning-making, as emphasized by Pam LaRutledge and Thomas King.

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  Storytelling has the power to disrupt dominant narratives, especially for marginalized communities whose histories have been silenced.

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  Listening in storytelling activates mirror neurons, fostering empathy through shared commonalities.

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  Researchers and participants often occupy different power positions, leading to divergent stories during interviews.

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  Anthropology’s colonial roots and the colonial gaze influence how stories have been historically collected, necessitating reflexivity.

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  Positionality is fluid, relational, and multifaceted, affecting access and power throughout the research process.

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  Co-creation during interviews can share power through mutual storytelling and authentic listening.

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  Normative research principles like researcher neutrality and confidentiality can obscure participant agency and may not serve all participants equally.

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  Using invitational language and allowing participants choice encourages richer, participant-led narratives and challenges rigid research scripts.

Notable Quotes