Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

We explore the ways second-person inquiry supports, deepens, and enhances first-person inquiry when an emotionally laden identity issue is at stake. The identity issue from which we draw our argument is the impact of one's own white supremacist consciousness on oneself and others. Using detailed accounts of three individual inquirers' experience, we examine how secondperson inquiry provides support for the first-person inquirer's capacity for critical humility as well as the inquirers' abilities to: live in the inquiry, practice new behaviors and unlearn old ones, reflect-in-action, conceptualize new learning and stay open to a range of emotional responses.

Keywords

cooperative inquiry critical humility race transformative learning white identity white supremacist consciousness

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ani, M. (1994). Yurugu: An African-centered critique of European cultural thought and behavior. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, Inc.

Chandler, D. , & Torbert, W. (2003). Transforming inquiry and action . Action Research, 1(2), 133–152 .

Delgado, R. (Ed.). (1995). Critical race theory: The cutting edge. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press .

European-American Collaborative Challenging Whiteness (2002). A multiple-group inquiry into whiteness. In L. Yorks & E. Kasl (Eds.), Collaborative inquiry as a strategy for adult learning: Creating space for generative learning. New directions for adult and continuing education no. 94(pp. 73–81). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass .

Frankenberg, R. (1993). The social construction of whiteness: White women, race matters. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press .

Hardiman, R. (1994). White racial identity development in the United States. In E. Salett & D. Koslow (Eds.), Race, ethnicity and self: Identity in multicultural perspective(pp. 117–140). Washington, DC: National MultiCultural Institute .

Helms, J. E. (1984). Toward a theoretical explanation of the effects of race on counseling: A black/white interactional model . The Counseling Psychologist, 12(4), 153–165 .

Heron, J. (1996). Co-operative inquiry. Newbury Park, CA: Sage .

Heron, J. , & Reason, P. (2001). The practice of cooperative inquiry: Research 'with' rather than 'on' people. In P. Reason & H. Bradbury (Eds.), Handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice(pp. 179–188). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage .

10.

Marshall, J. (2004). Living systemic thinking . Action Research, 2(3), 305–325 .

11.

Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass .

12.

Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning to think like an adult. In J. Mezirow and Associates , Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress(pp. 3–33). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass .

13.

Paxton, D. E. (2003). Facilitating transformation of white consciousness among European-American people: A case study of a cooperative inquiry. Dissertation Abstracts International 64(01), 297A-297A (UMI No. AAT3078796).

14.

Reason, P. (in press). Choice and quality in action research practice. Journal of Management Inquiry.

15.

Reason, P. , & Bradbury, H. (2001). Introduction. In P. Reason & H. Bradbury (Eds.), Handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice(pp. 1–14). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage .

16.

Reason, P. , & Torbert, W. (2001). The action turn: Toward a transformational social science . Concepts and Transformation, 6(1), 1–37 .

17.

Schön, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass .

18.

Taylor, S. (2004). Presentational form in first person research: Offline collaborative reflection using art . Action Research, 2(1), 71–88 .

19.

Yorks, L. , & Kasl, E. (2002). Toward a theory and practice for whole-person learning: Reconceptualizing experience and the role of affect . Adult Education Quarterly, 52(3), 176–192 .

When first-person inquiry is not enough

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References