TY - JOUR
T1 - Relinquishing control in focus groups
T2 - the use of activities in feminist research with young people to improve moderator performance
AU - Walters, Rosie
PY - 2019/5/14
Y1 - 2019/5/14
N2 - This article explores the possibility for researchers to embrace the unpredictability of focus groups by using activities as a stimulus for conversation. Reflecting on a recent study with young women in Bristol exploring their perceptions of celebrity feminists, it argues that using writing and drawing activities forces the researcher to relinquish control, and their role as questioner and as expert, to the participants. Furthermore, by analysing the ways in which I frequently became uncomfortable at the consequences of this loss of control, trying to regain it and failing, I argue that the activities forced me to fully commit to the feminist ideals of research that I subscribed to, particularly redressing the hierarchical relationships in research settings. Finally, the article discusses the implications of these findings in feminist research, and the need more broadly to reflect on how methodological decisions impact on researchers’ own performances in focus groups.
AB - This article explores the possibility for researchers to embrace the unpredictability of focus groups by using activities as a stimulus for conversation. Reflecting on a recent study with young women in Bristol exploring their perceptions of celebrity feminists, it argues that using writing and drawing activities forces the researcher to relinquish control, and their role as questioner and as expert, to the participants. Furthermore, by analysing the ways in which I frequently became uncomfortable at the consequences of this loss of control, trying to regain it and failing, I argue that the activities forced me to fully commit to the feminist ideals of research that I subscribed to, particularly redressing the hierarchical relationships in research settings. Finally, the article discusses the implications of these findings in feminist research, and the need more broadly to reflect on how methodological decisions impact on researchers’ own performances in focus groups.
KW - focus groups
KW - feminist research
KW - children
KW - activities
KW - participation
KW - control
KW - moderator
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85066319567&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1468794119847633
DO - 10.1177/1468794119847633
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
AN - SCOPUS:85066319567
SN - 1468-7941
JO - Qualitative Research
JF - Qualitative Research
ER -