Silence, Sense and Sensibility
Interpreting Silent Encounters in Qualitative Research
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24229277 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Haiyan Huang (0009-0001-6180-6249, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Julie Ren (0000-0002-6569-9508, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-10-09 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Qualitative Inquiry (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1077-8004 • E-ISSN: 1552-7565 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/10778004261464589 |
| OpenAlex | W7221105612 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 66 |
The ambiguity and multivocality of silence in empirical studies invite methodological examinations for better theorization. In this paper, we aim to expand the understandings of silence by considering its place in qualitative research praxis. We propose sensitizing approaches that are more attuned to non-verbal, affective registers of conveyance. This methodological imperative involves listening to silence through contextualization and reflexive research practices. Furthermore, we note that silence can be an absent presence that rejects the researcher’s gaze, underscoring the ethical and epistemic risks in interpreting silence. Ultimately, we highlight the complexity of silence and the dilemma of encountering silence in research.
Affect · epistemic risk · Listening · Nonverbal communication · Reflexivity · Research ethics · Silence · Focus Groups and Qualitative Methods · Qualitative Research Methods and Applications · Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics
R-Words
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Two minutes of silence
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“Bureaucratic shiyuzheng ”
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The great wall of silence
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Refusal as Act, Refusal as Abstention
Exposing Silence as Cultural Censorship
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The Less Said, the Better
Negativity
Theorizing voice
Analysing the significance of silence in qualitative interviewing
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Between Silence and Speech
Silent Rage and the Politics of Resistance
Silence as Resistance to Analysis
Performing Silence
Conversational Space and Participant Shame in Interviewing
Inhabited Silences
Hegemony and Silence
The sounds of silence
Silenced resentments and regrets
Affective silences
Introduction
Censorship, foreclosure, and the three deaths of Fengzhen
Ethnography, Silence, Torture and Knowledge
| Highly cited | No |
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