Paris, D., Winn, M. T., Tuck, E., & Yang, K. W. (2014). R-Words: Refusing Research. In Humanizing Research: Decolonizing Qualitative Inquiry with Youth and Communities (pp. 223–248). SAGE Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781544329611

This 2014 essay, "R-Words: Refusing Research," critiques the ethical implications of social science research, particularly its problematic engagement with marginalized communities. The authors argue that much research focuses on documenting trauma and pain, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and failing to respect the knowledge and desires of the researched. They propose "refusal" as a method to challenge this power dynamic, advocating for research practices that prioritize the sovereignty and agency of communities rather than merely extracting their stories for academic gain. Three axioms—the subaltern’s limited voice, the academy’s undeserved knowledge, and the inadequacy of research as intervention—underpin their call for a more ethical and humanizing approach. The essay uses examples from art and literature to illustrate its points and proposes that refusal, rather than being purely negative, is a creative and generative act.

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