week 3— reflexivity & positionality

[Last modified: October, 25 2024 11:18 AM]

1. what is your research topic?
   1. Phenomenology and body as material in transition out of competitive aesthetic sports; definitions and redefinitions of success, of freedom, of repression, of habitus.
2. why is this of particular interest to you?
   1. 1. I’m exploring a theme that I have experienced/am experiencing currently as the first two decades of my life were essentially consumed by the pursuit of success. Considering how I have engaged in self-surveillance and how I present in the material world, I am interested in exploring this awareness in others who have experienced a similar lifestyle in their formative years, and their subsequent explorations/interactions beyond athletics.
3. what preconceived ideas are you bringing to this research?
   1. 1. My own experiences have allowed me to untangle certain issues that I found affected me (see: The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf)
4. might your lived experience inform the way you interact with participants?
   1. 1. Absolutely! I have my own strong opinions and considerations through my own lived experience. I have had extensive therapy of a variety of modalities, considered how i present, my being, generational/familial impact, class relations, cultural dynamics (Taiwanese-american, raised with largely traditional Taiwanese values), and have explored in-depth the way i act, interact with various groups of people similar/dissimilar to me (collegiate skaters, non-athletes, recreational athletes… etc)
5. do class, race, gender, sexuality, other identities inform your approaches? might it offer particular insights?
   1. I believe these differences are inherent to anthropological study. In any case, I take an intersectional approach to understanding how people might be aware or not aware of certain aspects of their own existence — everything is connected.
6. how might this inform the interpretation of data?
   1. I must be careful about the way data is interpreted as it has been a visceral experience for myself — however, I am most interested by the impact that other identities and experiences will illuminate differences/similarities between these two stages of life— it is thus imperative for me to remain aware of my biases re: my own experience, to not let it impact the stories of others and be mindful of questions that I ask.