This paper unites three early qualitative scholars’ challenges to unsettle our narrow notions of “data” [gathering], ethics, and reflexivity as part of our qualitative scholarly be(com)ing. Inspired by tensions surrounding how we conceptualize/d “data [gathering]” and ethical inquiry during early scholarly endeavors. Whether our first inquiry endeavor (Author 3), inquiring with/in a place of employment (Author 2), or grappling with cross-cultural inquiry (Author 1); we draw on our projects to unpack notions of scholarly be(com)ing, critical reflexivity, and notions of knowledge as scholars embedded with/in the neoliberal academy. We highlight the multilayered nuances of conducting [early] qualitative inquiry that provoked opportunities to unsettle our onto-epistemological and methodological boundaries. This paper demonstrates our hope to (re)imagine inquiry differently and more expansively, reflecting a continuous scholarly be(com)ing that embraces more inclusive, messier lines of inquiry.
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