Department of Medicine Publications
Negotiating the Politics of Identity in an Interdisciplinary Research Team
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-2007
Journal
Qualitative Research
Volume
7
Issue
4
First Page
501
Last Page
519
URL with Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1468794107082305
Abstract
This article explores the politics of identity in an interdisciplinary health research team that has been engaged in a qualitative research program for over five years. We draw on sociological theories of power and knowledge to explore our experiences of identity conflict, team socialization, and knowledge production. Structurally, our article integrates individual and group perspectives through personal narratives and collaborative critique as we explore the complex negotiations required to realize and maintain our team dynamic. These negotiations take place not only with one another as particularly positioned individuals, but also with the ideological and organizational forces that structure our scholarly worlds. We conclude with articulating `lessons learned' that we hope will enable other interdisciplinary research teams to realize the rich potential of their collaborative qualitative work.
Notes
Dr. Lorelei Lingard is currently a faculty member at The University of Western Ontario.