Researchers as Storytellers: Writing on the Edge—And Without a Safety Net

The author considers the underrated and marginalized role of the researcher as storyteller by sharing stories of her own life, first as a researcher and insider, and second, as one who suffered bullying and abuse at her workplace at the time. The stories are interleaved between the theoretical argument and deliberately stand in the foreground. They are not interpreted in the discussion but attest through substance and example to what the argument is trying to convey. Sharing these stories challenged two taboos that researchers traditionally face: those surrounding the methodological process and those concerned with political content. Future researcher-storytellers are encouraged to take risks. Writing of one’s own life experiences is concluded to be writing on the edge—and without a safety net. However, the rewards inevitably stem from connecting with those who want to know.