Lawrence-Lightfoot, Rancière and Gemma: Reconciling the Subject Matter with Research Processes and Outcomes

Abstract

This paper outlines the author’s process of reconciling contradictions between the subject matter of her research and the PhD research process and outcomes. It describes a journey which draws on Lawrence-Lightfoot’s methodology of portraiture (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Hoffmann Davis 1997) and the work of Jacques Rancière in considering the ethical relationship between the research outcomes and the public, including the people who were interviewed for the research and the community involved in the subject matter. The paper also explores the author’s subsequent commitment to public pedagogical outcomes through seeking to: Prioritise the community most connected to the subject matter and the public as the primary recipients of the research outcomes, create greater respect and acknowledgement for the community members who contributed to the research, create more equitable access and broaden dialogues by using public space to publish research findings..