Shifting consciousness: Challenges to ontological assumptions in feminist research

Abstract

In this article, the author contributes to the ongoing debates within feminist methodology about emotional encounters when reflexivity and critical reflection are operationalised. More specifically, drawing on narrative accounts, this study examines how situated emotions influence conscious-raising activities, thereby challenging the ontological assumptions held by both the researcher and the researched. Drawing on a broader study about domestic violence and help seeking, the researcher shows how emotions in specific situations can trigger a shift in consciousness, challenging perceptions of reality. Such emotive challenges that researchers face in the field raises questions about the unpredictability of inter-subjectivity, ontological positioning, and the depth of situated emotion that can emerge during interviews. The author critically contemplates the dilemmas arising from such fieldwork interactions, questioning the ethical considerations within our institutions to safeguard overall wellbeing.