Researching retired ex-servicemen: reflections on ethnographic encounters
Journal article
Williams, R., Allen-Collinson, J. and Hockey, J. 2020. Researching retired ex-servicemen: reflections on ethnographic encounters. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health. 13 (3), pp. 375-389. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676x.2020.1713204
Authors | Williams, R., Allen-Collinson, J. and Hockey, J. |
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Abstract | The opportunities and challenges that younger, female, civilian researchers can encounter when undertaking ethnographic research with predominantly male military veterans are relatively underexplored sociologically. This is despite a growing literature on reflexivity in military studies over the past decade. To address this gap, we draw on symbolic interactionist insights to examine the reflective account of a British, female researcher in her mid-20s, who conducted qualitative research with 20 ‘older’ (aged 60+) retired servicemen from the Royal British Legion, a United Kingdom charity providing support for military veterans and their families. The study explored ex-servicemen’s embodied experiences of physical activity. The findings presented here cohere around four salient themes identified in the ethnographic reflections: (1) researcher positionality as a young, female, civilian researcher in a traditionally masculine militarised world; (2) managing distressing topics and interactional discomfort; (3) maintaining an ‘ethic of care’; and (4) dilemmas regarding representational issues and ex-servicemen’s embodied experiences. |
Keywords | Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation; Health(social science); Social Psychology |
Year | 2020 |
Journal | Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health |
Journal citation | 13 (3), pp. 375-389 |
Publisher | Informa UK Limited |
ISSN | 2159-676X |
2159-6778 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676x.2020.1713204 |
Official URL | https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2020.1713204 |
Publication dates | |
Online | 15 Jan 2020 |
04 May 2021 | |
Publication process dates | |
Accepted | 06 Jan 2020 |
Deposited | 26 Feb 2020 |
Accepted author manuscript | File Access Level Open |
Output status | Published |
Additional information | Imported from JPR. |
https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/8qx1q/researching-retired-ex-servicemen-reflections-on-ethnographic-encounters
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Accepted author manuscript
8qx1q_Williams Allen-Collinson Hockey 2020 Ethnographic reflections.QRSEH.pre pub.pdf | ||
File access level: Open |
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