Harding and Noeberg explored the bias inherent in any research since the researcher lives in society and has focused their life on completing their research project. This contradicts the academy’s view that all research should be unbiased and the researcher should be a neutral object. Feminist research understands this to the extent that we should be reflexive in our research and include our interactions with the research subject in our research. I believe this is very important as we do not research in a vacuum and our personal impressions or biases are important to the reader as they read our research.
I believe there are many advantages to conducting this kind of research, among them is the insider relationship we can form with our research subject. By sharing part of our life our research subject may be more apt to share with us their life. At the same time, this can backfire if we are studying a subject that has very different beliefs then us. Even then, its human nature to try and convince others of one’s view so our research subject may share their life story even more passionately in an attempt to convert us to their views.
By including our perspective and life in our research, our research is only helped. Why other disciplines do not understand this is beyond me.
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