I’ve started doing a bit of reading about ways of thinking differently about traditional social science research methods, as part of a group activity with the IRDL Scholars. Today I read a piece by Daniel G. Solórzano and Tara J. Yosso, about counter-storytelling as a method to ground research from the perspective of the non-majority voice. I learned some new terminology, which I will post here as a reminder for myself (and perhaps will be useful to you as well!). The “definitions” are my own interpretation based on my reading of the terms in use in the article.
Majoritarian story: story told from the perspective of a person in the cultural majority
Deficiency model: some class of person does not have a key characteristic (a biological trait such as being a person of color, as an example used in the article) to succeed, as judged by the dominant culture
Counter-storytelling has at least 3 forms: personal stories or narratives (using a first-person voice); other people’s stories or narratives (using a third-person voice); composite stories or narratives
They also provide a really clear distinction between a method and a methodology:
According to Sandra Harding (1987), a research method is a technique for gathering evidence such as interviews, focus groups, participant observation, ethnographies, and surveys. On the other hand, research methodology is “a theory and analysis of how research does or should proceed” (p. 3). We define methods as the specific techniques used in the research process, such as data gathering and analysis. Whether we use quantitative, qualitative, or a combination of methods depends on which techniques of data gathering and analysis will best help us answer our research questions. We define methodology as the overarching theoretical approach guiding the research. For us, methodology is the nexus of theory and method in the way praxis is to theory and practice. In other words, methodology is the place where theory and method meet. (Endnote 2, p.38)
Solórzano, D. G., & Yosso, T. J. (2002). Critical Race Methodology: Counter-Storytelling as an Analytical Framework for Education Research. Qualitative Inquiry, 8(1), 23–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/107780040200800103
