The Joys of Autoethnography

In this essay, I illustrate how autoethnography can make more meaningful, socially-relevant communication research possible. I also describe six interrelated joys of autoethnography, specifi cally the joys of (a) writing through pain, confusion, anger, and uncertainty; (b) illuminating nuances—complexities—of cultural phenomena; (c) creating accessible and engaging texts; (d) generating insider knowledge; (e) granting a person the ability to (re)claim voice on a taboo, silenced topic; and (f) making life better.