Part 1: Decolonizing Research:
Rejecting Neutrality and embracing an Embodied Approach through Wellness Practices.
Abstract: Neutrality has long been considered the gold standard in research. However, as my understanding of knowledge production advances, I am becoming increasingly aware of its inherent limitations. This paper advocates for adopting an embodied approach to research that challenges the traditional concept of neutrality. It also centers the experiences of researchers from historically marginalized backgrounds and underscores the significance of integrating wellness practices to cultivate healthier, more embodied, and equitable research environments.
“Subjectivity is not a problem to be overcome but a location of power and agency, a starting point for understanding the complexities of lived experiences."
-bell hooks- From the book "Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center"
In academic research, there is an expectation to maintain a sense of detachment from our physical selves and emotions in order to achieve neutrality and rigor.
Lately, I have been questioning this paradigm.
“Who does it truly serve when we produce knowledge from a place of detached neutrality and disconnection?
Who benefits?
Who is marginalized? Who is overlooked, or harmed in the process?”
To conduct research primarily from a place of detachment carries the risk of neglecting our own experiences and the lived experiences of the people, communities, or “subjects” we study.
By distancing ourselves from the human aspect of research, we reduce complex human experiences to mere data points, perpetuating a system that objectifies and devalues the experiences and realities of the individuals/groups being studied.
And this approach serves to uphold existing power dynamics that have historically excluded certain groups from dominant and self-defining discourse, reinforcing their marginalization and pathologizing their struggles.
While depersonalizing knowledge production may provide temporary respite from feelings of ancestral guilt, shared culpability, shame, pain, rage, or anger that can emerge during the research process, there is an underlying cost to be reckoned with.
It is, therefore, critical for researchers to acknowledge their positionality in research and knowledge production. Researchers must take the responsibility to openly acknowledge and disclose their positionalities, encompassing aspects such as socioeconomic status, racial and ethnic background, gender, culture, and other pertinent dimensions. Additionally,
It is, therefore, critical for researchers to acknowledge their positionality in research and knowledge production. Positionalites which encompass factors such as socioeconomic status, racial and ethnic background, gender, culture, and other relevant dimensions. Additionally, they should critically examine their biases and worldviews that inevitably influence their knowledge production.
Moreover, they should rigorously scrutinize their biases and worldviews that invariably impact how they produce knowledge. By doing so, researchers can enhance the credibility, and inclusivity of their work, ultimately contributing to more robust, relevant, and equitable research outcomes.
MY POSITIONALITY
I am an African Researcher. I was born and raised in Nigeria, a country that suffered the violence of British colonization until as recently as 1960 -and continues to grapple with the lingering effects of neo-colonialism.
I do not subscribe to the notion of neutrality within research endeavors or otherwise.
For me, neutrality is a colonial construct that suppresses and criminalizes perfectly valid emotions and perspectives whilst privileging certain sensibilities over others.
Neutrality acts as a shield against discomfort. Discomfort that should be acknowledged and examined.
Discomfort that should be allowed to occupy space and percolate in order to make room for honest, meaningly change.
In her book "Feminist Research Practice: A Primer," Sharlene Nagy Hesse-Biber recognizes that knowledge production is situated and shaped by power dynamics, and she speaks about disrupting the notion of detached neutrality by centering the experiences of marginalized individuals and communities.
I agree with her.
How can I remain neutral when my ancestors' experiences, achievements, and generational wounds are the subjects of my study?
How can I detach when I have to live out the “present continuous” consequences of my research on a day-to-day basis.. as do my family, country, and community.
How can I be impersonal when these stories are also my own?
Rather than detached neutrality, I approach my work with presence, honesty, and a complete sense of embodiment. Engaging my mind, body and spirit.
I interact with my work on a personal level.
My daughter loves to watch work, and she always asks me why my facial expressions change; my answer is: I am feeling my way through and honoring every emotion that comes up.
Sometimes, I smile, laugh, wince, or sigh deeply as I interact with the material.
Other times, I take a moment to lie on my back on my mat and just breathe.
By rejecting the notion of neutrality, I acknowledge that research work is deeply personal and inherently shaped by our history, worldview, and ancestral lineage.
It is also influenced by the legacies of historical events that have shaped present-day power structures, biases, and systemic inequalities.
This awareness allows me to navigate my research process with greater intentionality. Determined to prioritize integrity and employ truthful and respectful narratives, capable of carrying the weight of the events that have unfolded.
Anything less would be a betrayal of myself and my history.
** Concluding Part 2 in the next post: I discuss embodied research and how I incorporate wellness modalities like Breathwork into my research process. I also share book recommendations and references.
I think all of us needs to do this. Don’t be neutral. Work through whatever feelings and emotions that pop up doing a certain work or research.
Many thanks for your work Tamkara 🖤✊🏿