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Social Inclusion in Research: Reflecting on a Research Project Involving Young Mothers in Care

Dominelli, L.

Authors

L. Dominelli



Abstract

This article considers social inclusion in research by reflecting upon a project involving young mothers in care, which used grounded theory methodology (GTM) to theorise their situations and emphasise their voice, a key issue in inclusion, and yielded mixed outcomes. GTM dealt poorly with inclusivity and was supplemented by a feminist orientation. This also failed young mothers. They were included by sitting on an Advisory Com-mittee, being paid an honorarium and assisting in disseminating results. These efforts were unable to overturn power dynamics that privileged researchers' ownership of the findings, and enabled them to benefit from doing research and their rela-tionship with funders. The attempt to change policies and practices that served clients badly was thwarted by an election that brought in a régime with different goals. The young women authored their own stories and spoke authoritatively of their experiences. However, inclusion was not fully secured in and by the research process. Their positioning as research subjects curtailed their potential in this regard.

Citation

Dominelli, L. (2005). Social Inclusion in Research: Reflecting on a Research Project Involving Young Mothers in Care. International Journal of Social Welfare, 14(1), 13-22. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2005.00335.x

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 2005-01
Deposit Date Mar 21, 2007
Journal International Journal of Social Welfare
Print ISSN 1369-6866
Electronic ISSN 1468-2397
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 14
Issue 1
Pages 13-22
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2005.00335.x
Keywords Social inclusion, Social exclusion, Agency, Feminism, Grounded theory, Community, Research, Process, Young mothers, Empowerment, Privileging expertise, Power relations, Voice.