Monsters in Qualitative Data
In social sciences research, researchers acknowledge their identity and standpoint concerning participants, yet often neglect to integrate this awareness into the analysis phase. Reflexivity is linked to both our self-perceptions and our views of the world, reflecting our personal standpoint. This underscores the importance of recognising the presence of ‘monsters’ within qualitative data. In the context of qualitative analysis, monsters symbolise more than mere creatures of folklore or mythological beings. Instead, they represent manifestations of societal fears, anxieties, and cultural complexities that lurk beneath the surface of human experience. These monsters embody the collective imagination and subconscious of a society, reflecting its deepest fears, desires, and uncertainties.
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