Qualitative Inquiry and Inclusive Research

Abstract

This chapter discusses the contribution of qualitative inquiry in social inclusion and its role in inclusive research. Qualitative research refers to “a broad approach” that qualitative researchers adopt as a means to examine the social contexts of people and their lives. The inquiry posits that people use “what they see, hear, and feel” to make sense of social experiences. Fundamentally, it is interpretive. The meanings and interpretation of the participants is the essence of qualitative inquiry. Qualitative research is valuable in many ways. It encourages researchers to hear silenced voices, to work with marginalized and vulnerable people, and to address these issues within a social justice framework. The methods adopted in qualitative research tend to embrace the lived experiences of people who occupy a variety of social spaces, sitting neatly within the inclusive research approach. Qualitative researchers are seen as constructivists who attempt to find possible explanations for phenomena in the real world. Fundamentally, qualitative researchers look for the complexity of meanings that people have constructed in relation to experience. This chapter discusses the value of qualitative research, qualitative inquiry, and social inclusion. The chapter also covers inclusive qualitative research practices including arts-based methods, visual research, embodiment, and digital-based qualitative research methods that can enhance inclusivity in the research approach. The role of qualitative researchers as inclusive researchers is also discussed in the chapter.