Epistemological Intimacy: A Move to Autoethnography

• Main Author: Claire Smith
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2005-06-01
• Series: International Journal of Qualitative Methods
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690500400206

In this article, the author reflects on the dilemma she faced when choosing an appropriate qualitative method for her master's thesis, which is entitled Creatively Rehabilitating Self-Esteem After an Acquired Brain Injury: An Auto-Ethnography of Healing. She found herself in a unique “insider” position, because, as well as being the student researcher, she was from the same culture as the participants. Therefore, to gain maximum access to the valuable data available, the author chose also to be a participant in the study. She chronicles her journey while choosing the most suitable method. The study, which was conducted as a requirement of her master's program, was eventually completed as an autoethnography.