Page 174 - CONFERENCE BOOK OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GENDER, CULTURE AND SOCIETY (ICGCS) 2021

CONFERENCE PROGRAM AND ICGCS 2021

ABSTRACT BOOK

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion

Doing Research with Marginalized Groups: a Feminist

Approach

Vina Adriany, Elly Malihah

Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

The aim of this paper is to explore methodological and ethical dimensions of doing research
with marginalized group. Individuals from vulnerable group is often treated as having no

voices and agencies and hence, they are often treated as objects of the research. They are also

often seen as deficient that are always in needs of saving. This paper is based on qualitative

studies to three different groups which are labors, beggars, and female prisoners. It is part of

the larger research that seeks to understand their understanding on the meaning of
education. The research employs a feminist structuralist approach which emphasizes on

researchers’ reflexivity. In any feminist research, reflexivity plays important roles. Reflexivity is

based on understanding that knowledge is situated and it is affected by the researchers’

subjectivity. As Harding (1991) argues that the more researchers are aware with their own

positionalities, the higher objectivity a research will be. In this research, our reflexivity makes us
acknowledge our privileged as middle-class as well as educated women and these assist us to

develop empathy with our participants. We understood that we are not in the position to

speak for them but rather through this research, we attempt to provide space so that their

voices can be heard. Recognizing our reflexivity also helps us to navigate the power relations

with our participants. We became extremely cautious with the way we conducted a research
in a way that we will not exploit our participants. We also tried to ensure that we captured the

complexity of our participants’ life and we will not fall into the trap of perpetuating the

society’s prejudice against them. More importantly, we trusted that our participants possess

their own agencies and voices. Therefore, it is important to make sure that their voices and

presents are visible and represented in our research. Our analysis suggest that it is by
acknowledging our reflexivity and power as researchers, we concluded that current

educational system is often insensitive towards their needs and living context. Hence, our

research can serve as invitation for educators to start rethinking a culturally contextual and

responsive education that are not bias against the marginalized groups of people.

Keywords: Feminist research, reflexivity, power, marginalized groups

173

h t t p : / / i c g c s . c o n f e r e n c e . u n a n d . a c . i d /