Methodological decolonisation and local epistemologies

Practical insights from the field

Abstract

This paper describes some practical epistemological, methodological, and ethical considerations, as well as shortcomings, in the efforts to decolonise research methodology in qualitative research. Through self-reflection, a critical component of qualitative research, this paper utilises diary entries kept by the researcher during her Ph.D. studies to interrogate methodological decolonisation based on her experience conducting virtual qualitative interviews. By exploring four major themes underlying a researcher’s choice of data collection (epistemology, methodology, data collection methods, and ethics), this reflective piece underscores the importance of non-extractive ethics, recognising participants’ agency, and carefully navigating social hierarchies in building trust in researcher-participant relationships, regardless of data collection channels. The analysis contributes to the methodological decolonisation literature by highlighting practical experiences through reflective diary entries, enriching methodological decolonisation processes and outcomes.