Beyond methodology: the role of reflexivity in ethical research that benefits marginalised participants and communities
Abstract
Reflexivity is often framed in qualitative research as a means of enhancing methodological rigour and research quality. However, less attention has been paid to whether research that meets such standards is also ethically responsive to the needs of participants and communities. In this paper, I examine the role of reflexivity in advancing ethical research practices in studies involving marginalised groups and communities. Drawing on Indigenous and decolonial scholarship, together with insights from my own long-term engagement with marginalised groups and communities, I propose an approach to reflexivity that is community-centred and ethically oriented. I further explore the limits of reflexivity in ensuring that research produces knowledge that matters to the researched communities. This paper contributes to ongoing debates in qualitative inquiry by repositioning reflexivity not only as a marker of rigour but as a practice with ethical significance for research.
Tekola, Bethlehem, Beyond methodology: the role of reflexivity in ethical research that benefits marginalised participants and communities (August 01, 2025). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=6143306 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6143306