Becoming Liberated in the Process of Researching and Writing about Liberation: A Scholarly Reflection of a Healing Process in a Doctoral Program

• Main Author: Falon Thacker
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Georgia Southern University 2020-07-01
• Series: Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs
• Subjects: liberation; healing; collective memory work; counseling; student affairs
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gcpa/vol36/iss1/4

This article chronicles the process of researching and writing a dissertation about liberation and how it connects to my own experiences of liberation. Qualitative research involves a more personal connection between the researcher and the study (Hays and Singh, 2012) which allows for a more in depth understanding of the experiences of the participants and the researcher. This article provides a reflection of my journey that began in early childhood and through the doctoral process, connecting those experiences to the research process utilizing Pillow’s (2003) four reflexive strategies. Reflecting on the method, theory, and findings, the researcher makes connections with personal experiences of liberation, healing and the process of research on multiculturalism, social justice and liberation.