It has been a privilege to act as Guest Editors for this special issue of the International Journal of Qualitative Methods titled: Special Collection on Innovative Qualitative Research Methods in Sub-Saharan Africa and Other Emerging Economy Contexts.
The special collection aims to showcase the innovative qualitative research methods conducted across sub-Saharan Africa and other emerging economies contexts. It is anticipated that this type of special collection will be of particular interest to researchers worldwide who desire collaborative, transdisciplinary work and those who want to learn more about the nature of research conducted in these contexts. The focus is on the methods employed in the various studies, where the methods employed were qualitative and innovative. We are especially pleased that the special issue reflects the international mandate and readership of this journal and includes contributions from authors at a range of career stages.
Adeline M. Borti, Rakesh K. Maurya, Ivy S. Jones-Mensahand Thilina I. Wickramaarachchi, “Using Ubuntu as a Research Paradigm to Unpack How Ghanaian Novice Teachers and Their Collaborators Engaged Virtually in Collaborative International Qualitative Research”. This article details how Ubuntu, a philosophy that encapsulates the notion that our individualities and capabilities are developed and sustained by our relationships with others, was incorporated into each step of the research project, shares the authors’ experiences and key learnings, and provides recommendations for researchers utilizing Ubuntu as a research paradigm. The article used international collaborative qualitative research conducted virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic to demonstrate the application of Ubuntu as a research paradigm for conducting research in the African context.
Shannon McMorrow and David Musoke “Use of Photovoice in sub-Saharan Africa: Illustrations and Reflections from Research in Uganda”. Photovoice is a qualitative, participatory research method with great potential for increased use across settings and disciplines in sub-Saharan Africa. The paper highlights the current use of the photovoice research method in sub-Saharan Africa, with a specific focus on Uganda. The purpose of the article was to introduce, illustrate, and advocate for the use of photovoice as an innovative qualitative approach in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
Melitah Molatelo Rasweswe “Lekgotla Discussion as a Decolonized Qualitative Methodology: A Lesson from a Workshop Conducted to Formulate and Verify the Strategies in Botlokwa Village, Limpopo, South Africa”. The study used Lekgotla discussion with Batlokwa women to formulate and verify the strategies to empower the women with traditional and cultural dysmenorrhea or pain period knowledge. The Lekgotla discussion was an open forum in which Indigenous communities in Sub-Saharan Africa used to debate and reach agreements on community-raised issues. It has the potential to identify issues that affect the community’s day-to-day lives and reach a consensus to effect changes.
Leticia Chimwemwe Suwedi-Kapesa, Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella, Hana Mitchell, Marianne Vidler, Queen Dube, David M. Goldfarb, Kondwani Kawaza and Alinane Linda Nyondo-Mipando “Lessons Learned in Conducting Qualitative Healthcare Research Interviews in Malawi: A Qualitative Evaluation”. With the growth of qualitative health research in low- and middle-income countries, local health professionals are increasingly involved in facilitating interviews with their fellow health workers. This article reports a qualitative process evaluation of a study that assessed barriers and enablers of implementing bubble continuous positive airway pressure in Malawi. Findings were summarized through an iterative process of reflection on what worked, what did not work, areas for improvement, structural challenges, negotiating dual roles as nurses and researchers and the professional hierarchy within the health care system.
Lastly, Grace Mueller, Anna Barford, Helen Osborne, Kaajal Pradhan, Rachel Proefke, Soniya Shrestha and Andi M. Pratiwi “Disaster Diaries: Qualitative Research at a Distance”. The common-place quantification of humanitarian disasters enables rapid and informed crisis responses. In disaster settings, understanding feelings and perceptions regarding individuals’ experiences, livelihood disruptions, and coping mechanisms can also be valuable for extending and deepening quantitative insight. This paper explores the potential for diary methods to capture extensive, nuanced data from marginalised groups during a disaster by drawing upon a study with 100 young diarists (aged 15–29) who produced 1418 diary entries over 4 months. In particular, the authors share how diary methods can be designed inclusively by addressing themes of equitable research partnerships, supporting more vulnerable participants, ensuring data quality, data management, participatory analysis, and budgeting for collaborative research.
Overall, the guest editors hope the articles included in this volume will lead to more innovative ideas and generate further collaborations to extend the frontiers of qualitative research methods.
