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Abstract
This paper offers an extensive guide for researchers who wish to pay greater attention to the reflexivity in their own research. The author provides an example of self-observation and critical self-reflection of her own involvement in the process of doing research and being part of the moment of co-shaping (new) knowledge. The work focuses on the educational experiences of women placed in the context of their lifelong experience, women’s learning through shared experience, and the role of cultural context in these processes. A non-standard structure was used, in which analysis of the author’s own experiences is interwoven with analysis of the biographies of the women studied, and the researcher’s individual analysis is compared with the group analysis among other women. The aim is to present an interpretive perspective of feminist ethnography on these experiences and emphasizes the role of informal learning through experiencing relationships in everyday life, including through art.
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References
- Bainbridge, A., Formenti, L., West, L. (2021). Towards an Ecological Perspective on Learning and the Stories People Tell. In A. Bainbridge, L. Formenti, L. & L. West, L (Eds). Discourses, Dialogue and Diversity in Biographical Research (pp. 1-19). Leiden: Brill Sense Publishers.
- Bainbridge, A., & West, L. (2021). A Key? Conflict, and the Struggle for an Ecology of Dialogue, Learning and Peace among Israeli Jewish and Palestinian Educators. In A. Bainbridge, L. Formenti, L. & L. West, L (Eds). Discourses, Dialogue and Diversity in Biographical Research (pp. 121-139). Leiden: Brill Sense Publishers.
- Banks, M. (2007). Using visual data in qualitative research. London: Sage.
- Bateson, G. (1972). Steps to an ecology of mind. New York: Ballantine books.
- Beard, M. (2017). Women & Power: A Manifesto. London: Profile Books Limited.
- Bollas, C. (2009). The evocative object world. London: Routledge.
- Bussoni, I., Perna, R. (2014). Il gesto femminista. La rivolta delle donne: nel corpo, nel lavoro, nell'arte. Roma: DeriveApprodi.
- Calamai S., Nodari R., Galatà V. (2020). “Fregati dall’accento!” Lo stereotipo etnico e linguistico nei contesti scolastici. Italiano LinguaDue, 1, pp. 430-458.
- Casero, C. (2021). Fotografia e femminismo negli anni ’70. Museo della Fotografia Contemporanea Cinisello Balsamo: Silvana Editore.
- Causarano, P. (2016). La scuola di noi operai. Formazione, libertà e lavoro nell’esperienza delle 150 ore. Rivista di Storia dell’Educazione, 1, 141-159.
- Colucci, M. (2018). Storia dell’immigrazione straniera in Italia. Roma: Carrocci.
- De Beauvoir (1949/2011*). The Second Sex. New York: Random House.
- Ellis, C., & Bochner, A. P. (2000). Autoethnography, personal narrative, reflexivity: Researcher as subject. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research, (2nd ed., pp. 733-768). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
- Evans, R. (2021). Biographical Interviews and the Micro Context of Biographicity: Closely Listening for Meaning, Learning, and Voice. In A. Bainbridge, L. Formenti, L. & L. West (Eds.), Discourses, Dialogue and Diversity in Biographical Research (pp. 39-52). Leiden: Brill Sense Publishers.
- EU Commission (2021). Report on Gender Equality in the EU, https://ec.europa.eu/info/files/2021-report-on-gender-equality-in-the-eu_en.
- Finnegan, F., Merrill, B., Thunborg, C. (Eds.) (2014). Students Voices of Inequalities in European Higher Education. Challenges for theory, polity and practice in a time of change. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
- Formenti, L., & West, L. (2018). Transforming perspectives in lifelong learning and adult education: A dialogue. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Formenti, L., West, L. & Horsdal, M. (Eds) (2014). Embodied narratives. Connecting stories, bodies, cultures and ecologies. Odense: University Press of Southern Denmark.
- Gardner, F. (2014). Being critically reflective. Hampshire: Palgrave McMillan.
- Gupta, A. (2021). A mixed picture, In Her Words newsletter of The New York Times, 28th of May 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/28/us/shecession-america-europe-child-care.html.
- Holmes, J. (1992). Women’s talk in public contexts. Discourse & Society, 3(2), 131-150.
- Honneth, A. (1995). The Struggle for Recognition: The Moral Grammar of Social Conflict. Polity Press: Cambridge.
- Høyen, M. & Wright, H.R. (2020). Narrative, Discourse, and Biography: An Introductory Story, In Høyen, M. & Wright, H.R. (Eds.), Discourses We Live By. Narratives of Educational and Social Endeavour, Open Book Publishers. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0203
- Hunt, C., & West, L. (2012). Border Country: Using psychodynamic ideas in teaching and research. In A Bainbridge, & L. West (Eds.), Minding a gap: Psychoanalysis and education (pp. 135-152). London: Karnac.
- Lonzi, C. (1970/2010). Let’s spit on Hegel. (transl. V. Newman). New York: Secunda, http://blogue.nt2.uqam.ca/hit/files/2012/12/Lets-Spit-on-Hegel-CarlaLonzi.pdf.
- Melandri, L. (2014). Il femminismo a Milano, puntata 7: femminismo e 150 ore, https://memomi.it/il-femminismo-a-milano/il-femminismo-a-milano-puntata-7-femminismo-e-150-ore.
- Melandri, L. (2017). Alfabeto d’origine. Neri Pozza.
- Melandri, L. (2019). Love and Violence. The Vexatious Factors of Civilization. New York: SUNY Press.
- Merrill, B. (2003). Women’s Lives and Learning: Struggling for Transformation, in B. Dybbroe & E. Ollagnier, (Eds.), Challenging Gender in Lifelong Learning: European Perspectives, (pp. xx-yy). Roskilde: Roskilde University Press.
- Merrill, B. & West, L. (2009). Using biographical methods in social research. London: SAGE Publications.
- Quinn, J. (2010). Learning communities and imagination social capital: learning to belong. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
- Richardson, L. (2000). Writing: A method of inquiry. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research, (2nd ed., pp. 733-768). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
- Sawyer, R. (2021). Dynamic Ecologies of Person and Place: Dialogic Ethnographies as Public Engagement. In A. Bainbridge, L. Formenti, L. & L. West (Eds.), Discourses, Dialogue and Diversity in Biographical Research (pp. 95-106). Leiden: Brill Sense Publishers.
- West, L. (2016). Distress in the city: Racism, fundamentalism and a democratic education. IOE/UCL Press.
- Winnicott, D. (1971). Playing and reality. London: Routledge.
References
Bainbridge, A., Formenti, L., West, L. (2021). Towards an Ecological Perspective on Learning and the Stories People Tell. In A. Bainbridge, L. Formenti, L. & L. West, L (Eds). Discourses, Dialogue and Diversity in Biographical Research (pp. 1-19). Leiden: Brill Sense Publishers.
Bainbridge, A., & West, L. (2021). A Key? Conflict, and the Struggle for an Ecology of Dialogue, Learning and Peace among Israeli Jewish and Palestinian Educators. In A. Bainbridge, L. Formenti, L. & L. West, L (Eds). Discourses, Dialogue and Diversity in Biographical Research (pp. 121-139). Leiden: Brill Sense Publishers.
Banks, M. (2007). Using visual data in qualitative research. London: Sage.
Bateson, G. (1972). Steps to an ecology of mind. New York: Ballantine books.
Beard, M. (2017). Women & Power: A Manifesto. London: Profile Books Limited.
Bollas, C. (2009). The evocative object world. London: Routledge.
Bussoni, I., Perna, R. (2014). Il gesto femminista. La rivolta delle donne: nel corpo, nel lavoro, nell'arte. Roma: DeriveApprodi.
Calamai S., Nodari R., Galatà V. (2020). “Fregati dall’accento!” Lo stereotipo etnico e linguistico nei contesti scolastici. Italiano LinguaDue, 1, pp. 430-458.
Casero, C. (2021). Fotografia e femminismo negli anni ’70. Museo della Fotografia Contemporanea Cinisello Balsamo: Silvana Editore.
Causarano, P. (2016). La scuola di noi operai. Formazione, libertà e lavoro nell’esperienza delle 150 ore. Rivista di Storia dell’Educazione, 1, 141-159.
Colucci, M. (2018). Storia dell’immigrazione straniera in Italia. Roma: Carrocci.
De Beauvoir (1949/2011*). The Second Sex. New York: Random House.
Ellis, C., & Bochner, A. P. (2000). Autoethnography, personal narrative, reflexivity: Researcher as subject. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research, (2nd ed., pp. 733-768). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Evans, R. (2021). Biographical Interviews and the Micro Context of Biographicity: Closely Listening for Meaning, Learning, and Voice. In A. Bainbridge, L. Formenti, L. & L. West (Eds.), Discourses, Dialogue and Diversity in Biographical Research (pp. 39-52). Leiden: Brill Sense Publishers.
EU Commission (2021). Report on Gender Equality in the EU, https://ec.europa.eu/info/files/2021-report-on-gender-equality-in-the-eu_en.
Finnegan, F., Merrill, B., Thunborg, C. (Eds.) (2014). Students Voices of Inequalities in European Higher Education. Challenges for theory, polity and practice in a time of change. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Formenti, L., & West, L. (2018). Transforming perspectives in lifelong learning and adult education: A dialogue. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Formenti, L., West, L. & Horsdal, M. (Eds) (2014). Embodied narratives. Connecting stories, bodies, cultures and ecologies. Odense: University Press of Southern Denmark.
Gardner, F. (2014). Being critically reflective. Hampshire: Palgrave McMillan.
Gupta, A. (2021). A mixed picture, In Her Words newsletter of The New York Times, 28th of May 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/28/us/shecession-america-europe-child-care.html.
Holmes, J. (1992). Women’s talk in public contexts. Discourse & Society, 3(2), 131-150.
Honneth, A. (1995). The Struggle for Recognition: The Moral Grammar of Social Conflict. Polity Press: Cambridge.
Høyen, M. & Wright, H.R. (2020). Narrative, Discourse, and Biography: An Introductory Story, In Høyen, M. & Wright, H.R. (Eds.), Discourses We Live By. Narratives of Educational and Social Endeavour, Open Book Publishers. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0203
Hunt, C., & West, L. (2012). Border Country: Using psychodynamic ideas in teaching and research. In A Bainbridge, & L. West (Eds.), Minding a gap: Psychoanalysis and education (pp. 135-152). London: Karnac.
Lonzi, C. (1970/2010). Let’s spit on Hegel. (transl. V. Newman). New York: Secunda, http://blogue.nt2.uqam.ca/hit/files/2012/12/Lets-Spit-on-Hegel-CarlaLonzi.pdf.
Melandri, L. (2014). Il femminismo a Milano, puntata 7: femminismo e 150 ore, https://memomi.it/il-femminismo-a-milano/il-femminismo-a-milano-puntata-7-femminismo-e-150-ore.
Melandri, L. (2017). Alfabeto d’origine. Neri Pozza.
Melandri, L. (2019). Love and Violence. The Vexatious Factors of Civilization. New York: SUNY Press.
Merrill, B. (2003). Women’s Lives and Learning: Struggling for Transformation, in B. Dybbroe & E. Ollagnier, (Eds.), Challenging Gender in Lifelong Learning: European Perspectives, (pp. xx-yy). Roskilde: Roskilde University Press.
Merrill, B. & West, L. (2009). Using biographical methods in social research. London: SAGE Publications.
Quinn, J. (2010). Learning communities and imagination social capital: learning to belong. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
Richardson, L. (2000). Writing: A method of inquiry. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research, (2nd ed., pp. 733-768). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Sawyer, R. (2021). Dynamic Ecologies of Person and Place: Dialogic Ethnographies as Public Engagement. In A. Bainbridge, L. Formenti, L. & L. West (Eds.), Discourses, Dialogue and Diversity in Biographical Research (pp. 95-106). Leiden: Brill Sense Publishers.
West, L. (2016). Distress in the city: Racism, fundamentalism and a democratic education. IOE/UCL Press.
Winnicott, D. (1971). Playing and reality. London: Routledge.