I wonder how deeply personal research methods can be ethical.

Speaker(s):

Linjin Man, University of Birmingham

Abstract:

Introspective and deeply personal research methodologies, such as heuristic enquiry, elicit unexpected and unconscious insights, through researcher immersion and self-dialogue alongside participants' experiences. However, some practical and ethical dilemmas thereby emerged. Drawing from my heuristic research on the transition experiences of students with vision impairment to mainstream universities in China, this talk will share real moments where heuristic inquiry illuminated tacit and intuitive knowledge, leading to self-recognition, transformation, and shared emancipation. Meanwhile, emerged issues of research ethics are also posed for open discussion as follows: • Where is the threshold between self-disclosure and self-protection? • How do we balance immersion in research with personal life? • How can we document, analyze, and present spontaneous insights and lived experiences in a manageable way? By sharing both inspiring discoveries and unresolved tensions, this talk invites the audience to reflect on their own experiences and explore how to navigate the complexities of deep researcher immersion.