Work

Practitioner-Researcher Positionality: Beyond Statements in Educational Leadership Doctoral Research

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Researcher positionality is widely acknowledged in qualitative research but is often reduced to identity disclosures with limited insight into how research decisions shaped the inquiry process. This article conceptualizes practitioner-researcher positionality in educational leadership doctoral research as an ongoing research practice. Drawing on multiple qualitative traditions, I propose a framework identifying four interrelated dimensions: insiderness; relational and structural positioning; interpretive judgment under professional and institutional constraints; and ethical responsibility. I use an illustrative practitioner case to show how these dimensions operate across problem formation, research design/implementation, analysis, and dissemination, with implications for EdD and PhD doctoral preparation and supervision.

Source: Journal of Research on Leadership Education

DOI: 10.1177/19427751261494476

Author: David E. DeMatthews

Institution: The University of Texas at Austin

Language: English

Topic: Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,400