ABSTRACT
In qualitative research data, there often appear sections that are hard to analyse. However, careful listening is especially crucial in the context of social power imbalances and discrimination. The purpose of this chapter is to examine how to disentangle highly complex data that reflect multilayered psychological and social processes in a way that values participants’ perspectives. We assume that using the Listening Guide, rather than dismissing or only superficially considering this kind of complex data, might open up discoveries. With its high degree of sensitivity to the effects of a respectful research relationship, the Listening Guide fulfils the demands of emancipatory research. We are using an expanded version of the Listening Guide that considers social context in a special way and focuses the analysis of self not only on the “I” voices but on all expressions of the research participants’ self-representation. With the example of four studies, the chapter shows how the Expanded Listening Guide can be applied in combination with other methods for in-depth analysis, providing room for different voices, strengths, and resources of research participants. The research presented is based on interview data (first three studies) and video data (fourth study).
