Researchers’ Role Reflexivity When Studying Values Work

Relevant to all research methods, reflexivity refers to an examination of the connections between the researchers and the research. It promotes transparency in research and is an indicator of the quality of the research process. Particularly important to qualitative studies, it concerns the researcher’s presence, interactions and impact on the research. This chapter conceptualises role reflexivity as researchers’ capacity to identify, account for and manage their roles. I argue and show through examples how role reflexivity is central to researching values work by examining three phases of data collection. Specifically, I consider reflexivity before data collection in terms of interest and self-presentation in claiming and establishing roles, during data collection in the form of performing and negotiating preferred and attributed roles, and after data collection in terms of interpreting role patterns.