Reducing symbolic-violence in the research encounter

Collaborating with a survivor of domestic abuse in a qualitative study in UK primary care

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2249062
AutoresA Malpa (0000-0002-6329-4304, University of Bristol), Alice Malpass (Centre for Academic Primary Care School of Social and Community Medicine University of Bristol UK), Kim Sales (Womens Aid London UK), Gene Feder (0000-0002-7890-3926, Centre for Academic Primary Care School of Social and Community Medicine University of Bristol UK)
Año2016
Volumen38
Número3
Páginas442-458
Fecha de publicación2016-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSociology of Health & Illness (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0141-9889 • E-ISSN: 1467-9566
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1467-9566.12352
PMID26403218
OpenAlexW2122419691
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas30

This paper explores ideas of symbolic violence inherent in the research encounter (Bourdieu 1999). After defining symbolic violence and how the concept enters into domestic violence and abuse (DVA) research, we discuss the challenges arising from a (DVA) survivor taking on the role of interviewer in a qualitative study nested within a UK primary care based trial: IRIS (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety). KS, a survivor of DVA, conducted interviews with 12 women who had been referred to a domestic violence agency by primary care clinicians taking part in the IRIS trial in two UK cities (Bristol and east London) during 2009. Field notes were kept during all of the research meetings with KS and these were included in analysis. Our analysis maps the research pathway of 'non-violent communication' and discusses the role of social symmetry and proximity in the research encounter. We conclude that while a welcoming disposition, empathy and active listening are all generic skills to qualitative research; if a researcher can enter fieldwork with a claim of social proximity and symmetry, their use of these generic skills is enhanced through a process of shared objectification and empowerment talk. We explore the limitations of social proximity, its relationship to feminist and anthropological theories of 'insider' research and its relevance to primary care research

Domestic violence · Empowerment · Participatory action research · Poison control · Political science · Qualitative research · Social research · Social science · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Symbolic interactionism · Gender, Security, and Conflict · Law · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics · Social Psychology