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Reflexive Narrative
Self-Inquiry Toward Self-Realization and Its Performance

First Edition


April 2020 | 208 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Reflexive Narrative: Self-Inquiry Toward Self-Realization and Its Performance is latest addition to the Qualitative Research Methods series. Author Christopher Johns describes this unique method and its developmental approach to research to enable researchers’ self-realization however that might be expressed. This method focuses on systematizing the reflective process and providing structure while still remaining flexible to the needs of individual researchers and projects. Researchers collect data through reflections on everyday experiences and then selectively use the evidence of researcher’s insights. The text starts out with a brief introduction to narrative research and reflexivity, situating the method within the larger context of organizational practices. The next chapters introduce the steps for reflexive narrative research and walk readers through the movements of the reflexive narrative process, writing, reflection, dialogue, guidance, weaving, and audiencing. Additional coverage of ethics and research examples provide a foundation for application of the method to individual research. A chapter on structuring the method for a doctoral thesis furthers the applied nature of this method. Three extracts from studies provide research examples across several social science disciplines, including nursing and education. For students and researchers alike looking for new approaches to reflexive methods and looking to expand their ideas about self-research in a qualitative context, Reflexive Narrative provides a starting place for their own examination of self in the context of research.

 
Prologue
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
Chapter 1: Contempt: A Barrier to Realizing Leadership
Preamble

 
The Narrative

 
Afterword

 
 
Chapter 2: The Reflexive Narrative Bricolage
Reflexive Narrative

 
The Research Spectrum

 
Bricolage

 
Reflective Theory

 
Critical Social Science

 
Hermeneutics

 
Narrative Theory

 
Feminist Slant

 
Women’s Ways of Knowing

 
Non-Western Influence

 
Literary Theory

 
Summary

 
Activity

 
 
Chapter 3: The Six Dialogical Movements
The Six Dialogical Movements

 
Dialogue

 
The Hermeneutic Spiral

 
Summary

 
Activity

 
 
Chapter 4: Writing Self: The First Dialogical Movement
Recall

 
Mimesis and Anti-Mimesis

 
Writing

 
Journal Descriptions

 
Summary

 
Activity

 
 
Chapter 5: Structured Reflection: The Second Dialogical Movement
Structured Reflection

 
Mike

 
Applying the MSR Cues

 
Summary

 
Activity

 
 
Chapter 6: Drawing Tentative Insights
Conceptual Maps

 
The Framing Perspectives

 
Developmental Framing

 
Summary

 
Activity

 
 
Chapter 7: Cocreating Insights
Dialogue With Extant Knowledge: The Third Dialogical Movement

 
Guidance: The Fourth Dialogical Movement

 
The Community of Inquiry

 
No Formal Guidance

 
Summary

 
Activity

 
 
Chapter 8: Weaving the Reflexive Narrative: The Fifth Dialogical Movement
Narrative Time Span

 
Being Creative

 
Magical Realism

 
Writing From the Body

 
Showing Versus Telling

 
Using Tense and Dialogue

 
Giving Voice to Others

 
Using Metaphor

 
Images and Art

 
Narration

 
Writing for Performance

 
Summary

 
Activity

 
 
Chapter 9: Through a Glass Darkly
Preamble

 
Through a Glass Darkly Narrative

 
Activity

 
 
Chapter 10: Coherence and Ethics
Coherence

 
Eyes of Knowing

 
Criteria

 
The Validity Question

 
Rhizomatic Validity

 
Ethics

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 11: Audiencing: The Sixth Dialogical Movement
Performance

 
Summary

 
Activity

 
 
Chapter 12: Structuring the Reflexive Thesis
Chapter 1 Background

 
Chapter 2 Narrative Construction

 
Chapter 3 The Reflexive Narrative

 
Chapter 4 Deepening the Insights

 
Chapter 5 Reflection on the Journey

 
MSc Leadership in Health Care

 
PhD Program

 
PhD Studies

 
 
Chapter 13: Concluding Words
 
Appendix A: Illustration of Adenike Akinbode’s Reflexive Narrative Writing
 
Appendix B: Extract From Margaret Graham’s Reflexive Narrative Thesis
 
Appendix C: Reflexive Narrative Publications
 
References
 
Index

“The author has put a lot of thought and attention into this work. It is very much appreciated. This is the way the field can advance.” 

Doris M. Boutain
University of Washington School of Nursing

“The manuscript is rich with the author's experience and reads well.”

Kevin D. Cordi, Ph.D
Ohio University Lancaster

“The author is clearly an expert in the research design with her vast wealth of experience.” 

Dale Crowe
College of Doctoral Studies University of Phoenix

“The author's voice is one that commands respect, connection, inspiration, and stimulation. The argument and idea of the book are strong, and highly merit publication.”

Kristin D. Phillips
Emory University

“There is a great need for texts on this subject” 

Mary Clisbee, EdD
Partners In Health
Key features
  • Unique perspective on reflexive research with a narrative emphasis
  • Organizational approach enables researchers' self-realization
  • Excerpts from three dissertations provide concrete examples of research
  • Separate chapter on ethics provides a framework for ethical research in this sphere
  • Step-by-step movements guide researchers along the path to self-discovery

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