Making Sociology Sociable: Dialogue, Ethics and Authorship

Abstract

Conventional research can share an emphasis on extracting narratives with judicial and invasive state modes of enquiry. Using a study of young migrants the paper shows how involving participants as observers and shapers of analytical dialogue can produce circulations of understanding that oscillate across the researcher’s and participant’s horizons of understanding.

This produces new insight beyond the limits of qualitative investigation that extracts information from participants and in doing so has the potential to affect shifts in perception that both animate and enchant experience. It has consequences for re-thinking authorship that share, credit and specify responsibility.

Developing such a model opposes the ‘ethical hypochondria’ characterising qualitative research culture where ‘automatic anonymity’ is limiting the potential of research to travel, connect people and animate the public imagination.