Sitting with the Mess

Abstract

When using participatory research models, what happens in the field can be vastly different to the processes and outcomes outlined ‘on paper’. It is not unusual to experience messy relationships and incidents that can create risks for researchers. This chapter explores several tricky situations encountered in collaborative projects with refugee-background co-researchers. Using examples ranging from gender politics and challenging academic writing norms, to juggling insider/outsider labels and self-care as diverse sources of risks, the chapter offers candid reflections on wrestling with difficulties that can have a major impact on research outcomes. It addresses key tensions that research students, early career academics and more experienced researchers with a commitment to social justice-focussed approaches grapple with as they enter the field.