Multiple Ways of Seeing. Reflections on an Image-Based Q Study on Reconciliation in Colombia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-25.1.4092Keywords:
Q methodology, Q sorts, subjectivity, hybrids, mixed methods research, image-based research, reconciliation, ColombiaAbstract
Q methodology was created as a means to explore and map subjective viewpoints in a systematic, relational and holistic manner. In this paper, we discuss Q methodology as a promising hybrid approach and present methodological takeaways from an online Q study on the meanings of reconciliation in Colombia, based on data obtained in 2021. Q is a method of capturing subjectivity that conveys an aura of objectivity, because researchers seldom explicitly engage subjectivity We provide a brief overview of our research project, showcase some results, and offer a lens through which to reflect on the entanglement of qualitative and quantitative moments in Q methodology. We spell out its interpretive layers, highlighting the role of subjectivity in two key phases of the research: the design of the study (image-based Q items) and the interpretive process (factor analysis). Although the quantitative moments of Q are seductive in their promise of objective factor analytical measurement, we argue that Q requires researchers to practice reflexivity and to explicitly engage with their subjectivity.
Downloads
References
Betancourt Macuase, Luisa; Fusser, Myriell; Oettler, Anika & Stahl, Ilona (2022). Sentidos compartidos, sentidos controversiales: un estudio Q sobre la reconciliación en Colombia [Shared and controversial meanings: a Q study on reconciliation in Colombia] Documento de Trabajo, 8, https://www.instituto-capaz.org/un-estudio-q-sobre-la-reconciliacion-en-colombia-nuevo-documento-trabajo-capaz/ [Accessed: August 21, 2023].
Birke Daniels, Kristina & Kurtenbach, Sabine (Eds.) (2021). Los enredos de la paz [The entanglements of peace]. Bogotá: FESCOL/GIGA/GIZ, https://www.giga-hamburg.de/de/publikationen/buecher/los-enredos-paz-reflexiones-alrededor-del-largo-camino-transformacion-del-conflicto-armado-en-colombia [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Bloomfield, David (2006). On good terms: Clarifying reconciliation. Berghof-Report, 14, https://berghof-foundation.org/library/on-good-terms-clarifying-reconciliation [Accessed: April 17, 2023].
Brown, Steven R. (1980). Political subjectivity: Applications of Q methodology in political science. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, https://qmethod.org/1980/01/08/brown-1980-political-subjectivity/ [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Brown, Steven R. (1993). A primer on Q methodology. Operant Subjectivity, 16(3/4), 91-138.
Brown, Steven R. (2008). Q methodology. In Lisa M. Given (Ed.), The Sage encyclopedia of qualitative research methods (pp.699-702). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Burke, Lydia E. C.-A. (2015). Exploiting the qualitative potential of Q methodology in a post-colonial critical discourse analysis. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 14(1), 65-79, https://doi.org/10.1177/160940691501400107 [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Charmaz, Kathy (2006). Constructing grounded theory. London: Sage.
Creswell, John W. & Plano Clark, Vicki L. (2011). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Denzin, Norman K. (2010). Moments, mixed methods, and paradigm dialogs. Qualitative Inquiry, 16(6), 419-427, https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800410364608 [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Díaz Pabón, Fabio A. (2018). Conflict and peace in the making: Colombia from 1948-2010. In Fabio A. Díaz Pabon (Ed.), Truth, justice and reconciliation in Colombia. Transitioning from violence (pp.15-33). London: Routledge.
Dziopa, Fiona & Ahern, Kathy (2011). A systematic literature review of the applications of Q-technique and its methodology. Methodology, 7(2), 39-55.
Elias, Norbert (1984 [1970]). What is sociology?. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
Eppinga, Maarten B.; Mijts, Eric N. & Santos, Maria J. (2022). Ranking the sustainable development goals: Perceived sustainability priorities in small island states. Sustainability Science, 17, 1537-1556, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-022-01100-7 [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Fielding, Nigel & Schreier, Margrit (2001). Introduction: On the compatibility between qualitative and quantitative research methods. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 2(1), Art. 4, https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-2.1.965 [Accessed: May 13, 2023].
Gibson, James L. (2016). The contributions of truth to reconciliation: Lessons from South Africa. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 50(3), 409-432.
González González, Fernán (2020). Más allá de la coyuntura: Entre la paz territorial y "la paz con legalidad" [Beyond the current agenda: Between territorial peace and “peace with legality”]. Bogotá: CINEP, https://www.cinep.org.co/producto/mas-alla-de-la-coyuntura/ [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Greene, Jennifer C. (2007). Mixing methods in social inquiry. San Francisco, CA: Wiley.
Hammami, Muhammad; Hammami, Rakad; Kawadry, Suraya & Alvi, Syed (2022). Modeling lay people's ethical views on abortion: A Q-methodology study. Developing World Bioethics, 22(2), 67-75.
Hitchcock, John H. & Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J. (2020). Developing mixed methods crossover analysis approaches. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 14(1), 63-83, https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689819841782 [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Karasu, Mehmet & Peker, Mehmet (2019). Q methodology: History, theory and application. Turkish Psychological Articles, 22(43), 40-42.
Knappertsbusch, Felix; Schreier, Margrit; Burzan, Nicole & Fielding, Nigel (Eds.) (2023a). Mixed methods and multimethod social research: Current applications and future directions. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 24(1), https://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/issue/view/76 [Accessed: October 12, 2023].
Knappertsbusch, Felix; Schreier, Margrit; Burzan, Nicole & Fielding, Nigel (2023b). Innovative applications and future directions in mixed method social research. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 24(1), Art. 22, https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-24.1.4013 [Accessed: May 13, 2023].
Lederach, John P. (1997). Building peace: Sustainable reconciliation in divided societies. Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press.
Lévi-Strauss, Claude (1987 [1950]). Introduction to the work of Marcel Mauss. London: Routledge.
Lundberg, Adrian; Fraschini, Nicola & Aliani, Renata (2022). What is subjectivity?: Scholarly perspectives on the elephant in the room. Quality & Quantity, 4509-4529, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-022-01565-9 [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Maddison, Sarah (2015). Conflict transformation and reconciliation: Multi-level challenges in deeply divided societies. London: Routledge.
McDaniel, Kris (2013). Heidegger's metaphysics of material beings. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 87(2), 332-357.
Molenveld, Astrid (2020). Using Q methodology in comparative analysis. In Brainard Guy Peters & Guillaume Fontaine (Eds.), Handbook of research methods and applications in comparative policy analysis (pp.333-347). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Morinière, Lezlie C.E. & Hamza, Mohammed (2012). Environment and mobility: A view from four discourses. Ambio, 41(8), 795-807.
Nadler, Arie (2012). Intergroup reconciliation: Definitions, processes, and future directions. In Linda R. Tropp (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of intergroup conflict (pp.291-308). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Nordquist, Kjell-Åke (2017). Reconciliation as politics: A concept and its practice. Eugene, OR: Pickwick.
Oettler, Anika & Rettberg, Angelika (2019). Varieties of reconciliation in violent contexts: Lessons from Colombia. Peacebuilding, 7(3), 329-352.
Oettler, Anika; Ahrends, Lena; Arnold, Wiebke; Fusser, Myriell; Gessler, Ornella; Jalali, Sonja; Jordan, Antonia; Reiter, Julian; Reuchlein, Veronika & Schell, Leonie (2018). Imaginando la reconciliación: Estudiantes de Bogotá y los múltiples caminos de la historia colombiana [Imagining reconciliation: Students from Bogotá and the pultple ways of Colombian history]. Ideas Verdes, 9, Bogotá, https://co.boell.org/es/2018/09/17/imaginando-la-reconciliacion-estudiantes-de-bogota-y-los-multiples-caminos-de-la-historia [Accessed: May 6, 2022].
Olmos-Vega, Francisco M.; Stalmeijer, Renée E.; Varpio, Lara & Kahlke, Renate (2023). A practical guide to reflexivity in qualitative research: AMEE Guide No. 149. Medical Teacher, 45(3), 41-251, https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2022.2057287 [Accessed: August 19, 2023].
Pankhurst, Donna (1999). Issues of justice and reconciliation in complex political emergencies: Conceptualising reconciliation, justice and peace. Third World Quarterly, 20(1), 239-256.
Philpott, Daniel (2009). An ethic of political reconciliation. Ethics & International Affairs, 23(4), 389-407.
Ramlo, Susan (2015). Theoretical significance in Q methodology: A qualitative approach to a mixed method. Research in the Schools, 22(1), 73-87.
Ramlo, Susan (2016). Mixed method lessons learned from 80 years of Q methodology. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 10(1), 28-45.
Ramlo, Susan (2021). The coronavirus and higher education: Faculty viewpoints about universities moving online during a worldwide pandemic. Innovative Higher Education, 46(3), 241-259, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-020-09532-8 [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Ramlo, Susan (2022a). Mixed methods research and quantum theory: Q methodology as an exemplar for complementarity. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 16(2), 226-241.
Ramlo, Susan (2022b). A science of subjectivity. In James C. Rhoads, Dan B. Thomas & Susan E. Ramlo (Eds.), Cultivating Q methodology. Essays honoring Steven R. Brown (pp.182-216). New Jersey: BookBaby.
Ramlo, Susan & Newman, Isadore (2011). Q methodology and its position in the mixed-methods continuum. Operant Subjectivity, 34(3), 172-191.
Rettberg, Angelika & Ugarriza, Juan E. (2016). Reconciliation: A comprehensive framework for empirical analysis. Security Dialogue, 47(6), 517-540.
Rettberg, Angelika; Ugarriza, Juan E.; Acosta, Yoikza & García, Catalina (2021). Informe de profundización: La reconciliación en Colombia tras los acuerdos de paz entre el Gobierno nacional y las FARC: Análisis del barómetro de la reconciliación ACDI/VOCA 2017-2019, fase II [In-depth report: Reconciliation in Colombia after the peace accords between the national government and the FARC: Analysis of the reconciliation barometer ACDI/VOCA 2017-2019, Phase II], https://cienciassociales.uniandes.edu.co/reconciliacion/publicaciones/ [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Robbins, Paul & Krueger, Rob (2000). Beyond bias?: The promise and limits of Q method in human geography. Professional Geographer, 52(4), 636-648.
Schaap, Andrew (2005). Political reconciliation. London: Routledge.
Schaap, Andrew (2016). Political reconciliation through a struggle for recognition?. Social & Legal Studies, 13(4), 523-540.
Schoonenboom, Judith (2023). The fundamental difference between qualitative and quantitative data in mixed methods Research. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 24(1), Art. 11, https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-24.1.3986 [Accessed: August 19, 2023].
Stahl, Ilona; Betancourt Macuase, Luisa; Fusser, Myriell & Oettler, Anika (2022). Reconciliation in Colombia. Forschungsdatenrepositorium data_UMR, 207, November 4, https://doi.org/10.17192/fdr-147.3 [Accessed: May 4, 2023].
Stenner, Paul (2022). Q methodology and constructivism: Some reflections on sincerity and authenticity in honour of Steven Brown. In James C. Rhoads, Dan B. Thomas & Susan E. Ramlo (Eds.), Cultivating Q methodology. Essays honoring Steven R. Brown (pp.68-91). New Jersey: BookBaby.
Stephenson, William (1986). Protoconcursus: The concourse theory of communication. Operant Subjectivity, 9(2), 37-58.
van Exel, Job & Graaf, Gjalt de (2005). Q methodology: A sneak preview, https://www.betterevaluation.org/sites/default/files/vanExel.pdf [Accessed: November 11, 2023].
Verdeja, Ernesto (2012). The elements of political reconciliation. In Alexander Keller Hirsch (Ed.), Interventions. Theorizing post-conflict reconciliation. Agonism, restitution and repair (pp.166-181). London: Routledge.
Watts, Simon & Stenner, Paul (2005). Doing Q methodology: theory, method and interpretation. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 2(1), 67-91.
Watts, Simon & Stenner, Paul (2012). Doing Q methodological research: Theory, method and interpretation. London: Sage.
Yang, Yang (2016). A brief introduction to Q methodology. International Journal of Adult Vocational Education and Technology, 7(2), 42-53.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Anika Oettler, Ilona Stahl, Luisa Betancourt Macuase, Myriell Fusser
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
