A positionality statement, also called reflexivity statement or identity statement, is a statement wherein a person (such as a researcher or

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

) reports and discusses their group identities, such as in a grant proposal or journal submission. They have become commonplace in certain fields of

social science Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soc ...

, especially within the United States. Positionality statements focus on an "author's racial,

gender Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to femininity and masculinity and differentiating between them. Depending on the context, this may include sex-based social structures (i.e. gender roles) and gender identity. Most cultures u ...

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

, or other self-identifications, experiences, and

privileges Privilege may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Privilege'' (film), a 1967 film directed by Peter Watkins * ''Privilege'' (Ivor Cutler album), 1983 * ''Privilege'' (Television Personalities album), 1990 * ''Privilege (Abridged)'', an alb ...

", based on the idea that the author's identity can, intentionally or not, influence the results of their research. Scholars have commonly identified this risk in cases where the researcher is the sole point of connection between the audience and research subjects and, relatedly, when there exists a known power imbalance between the researcher and the research subject. The expectation and/or practice of writing a positionality statement can also inform the researcher of ways to mitigate the influence of their personal identity on the research by clarifying such interactions before the data collection or analysis process concludes.

Criticism

Positionality statements have also attracted controversy, being alternatively labeled by detractors as "research segregation", "positional piety", and "loyalty oaths".https://www.chronicle.com/article/ideological-signaling-has-no-role-in-research According to critics, an author may claim moral authority through affinity with subjects, or through a confession of difference of relative privilege. This has given rise to the concern that positionality statements can lead to "positional piety", where researchers are considered more or less credible based on race, gender, or other characteristics.Cousin, Glynis. "Positioning positionality." New approaches to qualitative research: Wisdom and uncertainty (2010): 9-18. On the other hand, supporters of positionality statements point out that such criticisms often stem from "bad" positionality statements, and instead argue for a comprehensive standard of quality.

In Education

Positionality statements have increased in popularity during the 2000s, required not just of researchers, but also students. A challenge has been the phenomenon of "phony positionality", wherein students learn to voice the beliefs expected in positionality statements without actually believing them. This "performative" positionality has been an obstacle to their adoption in the classroom.Macfarlane, Bruce. "Methodology, fake learning, and emotional performativity." ECNU Review of Education 5.1 (2022): 140-155.

References

Social constructionism Intersectionality Identity politics {{socialscience-stub

Criticism

In Education

See also

References