Navigating power imbalances in research with children and young people in shelters for domestic violence.

This paper examines the methodological approach from a doctoral research project based on an ethnography conducted with children and young people living in shelters for domestic violence. Guided by the principles of critical social work research, this study was co-constructed in partnership with a f...

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Publicado en:Qualitative Social Work Vol. 25; no. 3/4; pp. 483 - 501
Autores principales: Frenette, Michèle, Lapierre, Simon
Formato: Journal Article
Publicado: Sage Publications Inc. Jul2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Jul2026
      vid: 25
      iid: 3/4
      pid: 344
      pub: Sage Publications Inc.
      place: Thousand Oaks, California
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        atl: Navigating power imbalances in research with children and young people in shelters for domestic violence.
      aug:
        au:
          Frenette, Michèle
          Lapierre, Simon
        affil: School of Social Work, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
      sug:
        subj:
          Domestic Violence In Infancy and Childhood
          Domestic Violence In Adolescence
          Child Abuse
          Research, Social Work
          Ethnographic Research
          Research Methodology
          Researcher-Subject Relations
          Power
          Quebec
          Feminism Organizations
          Collaboration
          Decision Making
          Interpersonal Relations
          Data Collection
          Support, Psychosocial
          Life Experiences
          Reflection
          Child
          Adolescence
          Conceptual Framework
          Sociology
          Data Analysis
          Anthropology, Cultural
          Fieldwork
          Child: 6-12 years
          Adolescent: 13-18 years
      ab: This paper examines the methodological approach from a doctoral research project based on an ethnography conducted with children and young people living in shelters for domestic violence. Guided by the principles of critical social work research, this study was co-constructed in partnership with a feminist umbrella organization representing shelters across the province of Quebec, Canada. This collaboration ensured that the research had meaningful outcomes for both theory and practice. In this paper, I discuss how methodological and theoretical decisions worked to reduce power imbalances throughout the research process, emphasizing the critical role of interpersonal relationships in data collection. Drawing on feminist care theory (Brannelly and Barnes, 2022) and principles of feminist intervention in shelters (Côté, 2017), I highlight the importance of play, adopting a "least adult" posture (Mandell, 2003), supporting the mothers and a child-centered approach to establishing connections and navigating traditional power dynamics. This approach enabled a deeper understanding of the children's and young people's lived experiences in shelters. The findings suggest that research with children and young people necessitates adapting traditional research methods to better align with their realities. This requires critical reflection and proactive actions - such as thoughtful methodological and theoretical choices - to address power imbalances between adult researchers and child participants.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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