Rabbit Trails, Ephemera, and Other Stories: Feminist Methodology and Collaborative Research.

Abstract

Our individual representations (above) of possible ways to structure this journal article contain traces of feminist themes regarding research method ology and also embody a flashpoint that could have derailed our collabora tion. 1 Our interest is in exploring intersections between feminist methodol ogy and collaborative research in order to identify a number of these flashpoints. Such an exploration not only has the potential for improving disciplinary approaches to collaborative research, but also for enhancing educators' understanding of classroom pedagogy as collaborative action. Our sense is that feminist critiques of research methodology provide indica tors that can be used as ways to signal potential areas of conflict in the formation and function of collaborative research groups.2 As a basis for our exploration, we have analyzed our own experiences to date in four ongoing collaborative research groups. In using self-reflective critique as our method of analysis,3 we are keenly aware that the evolving nature of these collaborative groups has influenced the construction of our arguments here. And, conversely, we realize that our critique may in turn influence the evolution of these groups.4 Moreover, we recognize as a