Reflexivity and positionality in research: insider/outsider-outsider/insider perspectives and the relational turn

In this article, we examine how positionality and reflexivity shape the research process from planning to dissemination, arguing that prevailing approaches overlook the relational nature of identity. We identify two dominant trends in research writing: a brief ‘positionality statement,’ that list identities without analyzing their influences, and a short autobiography account that centers the researcher rather than their relationship to their research context. To address this gap, we propose a relational understanding of positionality, emphasizing reflexivity as an ongoing, dynamic process. Drawing on our experiences – a Dalit woman doing research with Dalit participants in India and a white US researcher working with Quechua-speaking communities in Peru – we illustrate how insider and outsider positions are fluid and context-dependent. Through a series of vignettes, we show how researchers who engage with positionality relationally encounter productive tensions that generate deeper insights. We conclude by illustrating how positionality statements can reflect these relational turns.