A Reflexive Inquiry on the Effect of Place on Research Interviews Conducted With Homeless and Vulnerably Housed Individuals

Authors

  • John Ecker University of Ottawa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-18.1.2706

Keywords:

interview sites, interview location, homeless and vulnerably housed participants, reflexivity

Abstract

In this study, I utilized a process of reflexivity to examine the effect of location when conducting interviews with homeless and vulnerably housed individuals. The impact of interview locations has received limited attention in the community psychology literature, despite the majority of research being community-based. The study provides insights into the challenges, benefits, and power relations involved in selecting a research interview site and in conducting interviews. Personal journal entries were used to analyze the effect of location on the participants and I as the researcher, through a comparative analysis of interviews conducted in the community and a research center. Results demonstrate that interview locations hold great amounts of power and can provide the opportunity for holistic understandings of research topics. Lessons learned and methodological implications are discussed.

URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs170151

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Author Biography

John Ecker, University of Ottawa

John ECKER is currently the Director of Evaluation at the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and formerly a research associate with the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services at the University of Ottawa, Canada. He received his PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Ottawa in 2015. His research focuses on homelessness, vulnerably housing, community mental health, community integration, and issues related to the LGBTQ community.

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Published

2016-11-29

How to Cite

Ecker, J. (2016). A Reflexive Inquiry on the Effect of Place on Research Interviews Conducted With Homeless and Vulnerably Housed Individuals. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-18.1.2706