ABSTRACT
The importance of reflexivity is well-recognized in the social sciences (Denzin
and Lincoln, 1994; Hertz, 1997; Hardy et al, 2001; Mauthner and Doucet,
2003). Yet, rarely is the social nature of a research relationship and its impact on
research addressed (Blake, 2007; Crow and Pope, 2008). Most attempts at
reflexivity tend to be dominated by the voice of the researcher and neglect to
document how the evolving researcher-researched relationship affects the
research process. We argue that this is a significant omission in the context of
research on sustainability, particularly when exploring the more personal and
emotional aspects of sustainable lifestyles and communities. In response, we
make the case that sustainability research dealing with these issues should strive
for a more wholesome research relationship with mutuality and reciprocity at
its core. Here, the term ‘mutual research relationship’ is used to describe this
mutually beneficial and supportive relationship that requires attention to both
the head and heart. To this end, this chapter turns the spotlight onto the research
relationship between researcher and the researched and focuses on the research
process rather than a research method per se. This is in recognition of the need
both to explore and value the relationships between different types of
knowledge, experience and insight. We argue that this is fundamental for any
kind of research seeking to gain an understanding of sustainability.
