ABSTRACT

This paper advances the geographies of religion, spirituality and faith’s limited attention to positionality by discussing the critical issues raised when using participatory approaches. Reflecting on three cases of participatory research, we foreground the dynamics of being a researcher with faith when working with participants from faith communities. Advocating participatory approaches as valuable methodologies that should be used more extensively to explore beliefs, faith practices, and social justice, we argue that greater attention needs to be given to the positionality of researchers undertaking this sort of research. Our cases raise three themes for discussion. First, the variety of ways in which faith positionalities influence how research is developed, conducted and concluded. Second, the intersections between our faith and other positionalities and how they shape our roles and relationships with research participants. Third, the fluid and multifaceted nature of faith positionalities and how they are changed, emphasized, and softened through the dynamics and entanglements of fieldwork. In doing so, we reflect on the complexities of being a researcher with faith, argue that faith positionality is a helpful dimension of their research rather than a limitation, and that all cultural, social and historical geographical researchers should reflect on their faith positionality.

摘要

本文通过讨论使用参与式方法时提出的关键问题，推进了宗教、灵性和信仰对位置性的有限关注。反思参与式研究的三个案例，我们突出了在与信仰社区的参与者合作时成为一名有信仰的研究人员的动态。我们提倡将参与式方法作为有价值的方法，应该更广泛地用于探索信仰、信仰实践和社会正义，我们认为需要更多地关注从事此类研究的研究人员的立场。我们的案例提出了三个讨论主题。首先，信仰立场影响研究的开发、实施和结论的方式多种多样。第二，我们的信仰和其他立场之间的交集，以及它们如何塑造我们的角色和与研究参与者的关系。第三，信仰立场的流动性和多面性，以及它们如何通过田野工作的动态和纠缠而改变、强调和软化。在这样做的过程中，我们反思了成为有信仰的研究人员的复杂性，认为信仰定位是他们研究的一个有用维度而不是限制，所有文化、社会和历史地理研究人员都应该反思他们的信仰定位。