A recurring dilemma encountered by feminist field-workers is the power dynamics emergent during the research process. There is a lack of agreement on how this delicate issue should be approached. Within this debate, there is flip-flop between those who argue for methods influenced by objectivism and those who argue for a more egalitarian approach. The author extends these conversations, discusses the intersubjectivity that emerges during the relationship between the researched and the researcher, and docu ments his problematic "friendship rapport" from three perspectives: the research insti tution, the researched, and the researcher. The author discusses how he collected data from spaces that he was forbidden to enter, such as the women's bathroom and a self-esteem class at a workfare program. He talks about the rapport, ethics, and politics of conducting intensive interviews with poor women. The author writes with a desire to continue and extend conversations about research, writing, and ethics.
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