Research Across Cultures: Interview with Safary Wa-Mbaleka
Dr. Wa-Mbaleka was educated in the United States, has taught and done research in the Caribbean, the Philippines and throughout Asia. He is now Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies at the Adventist University of Africa in Kenya. He and Arceli Rosario co-founded the Asian Qualitative Research Association and they are co-editors of the The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research in the Asian Context. Perhaps you can see why I chose to interview him for this Methodspace feature about cultural dynamics involved with studying sensitive problems!
Please note that Dr. Rosario was a panelist for the SAGE Methodspace webinar “Understanding cultural issues in research design.” Drs. Rosario and Wa-Mbaleka will be Methodspace Mentors in Residence for September 2022 with to help us develop understanding and skills needed to “Be inclusive, aware and culturally competent.”
More Methodspace posts about researching sensitive topics
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The focus of this post is the co-researchers’ journey of working together as a co-operative inquiry research team. They highlight ways in which research can be inclusive and accessible to co-inquirers with intellectual disabilities who are new to research
Andre Samuels reflects on his experiences as a Black doctoral student and researcher at the University of Pennsylvania.
Risky or illegal behaviors can be challenging to study - and concerning for researcher safety. See this collection of open access articles for examples.
Researchers studying the experiences of youth can benefit from their perspectives. This post from high school students includes their tips for researchers.
Self-care is essential when studying painful, sad, difficult experiences or situations. Find strategies and tips in this video from Dr. Helen Kara and collection of open-access articles.
The Covid-19 pandemic has created yet more sensitive research concerns. Read this post from Lahman and Brown for suggestions.
Watch the recorded “Understanding cultural issues in research design” webinar and find relevant resources.
Dr. Safary Wa-Mbaleka discusses what he has learned from conducting research and teaching methods in the US, Asia, and Africa.
How can you interview participants online about sensitive topics? Tips from Janet Salmons, author of Doing Qualitative Research Online.
For Pride Month 2023, learn respectful ways to study LGBTQ+ people and related issues.