Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: As the reader of a journal article, no matter how intrinsically interesting the article itself, there is often a strong sense that some important information about the author(s) is withheld.The name, affiliation and contact details are, of course, important, as can also be the brief bio statement, though the latter tends to be little more than an abbreviated research curriculum vitae with an emphasis on where (and how often) the author has published previously.However, beyond this rather prosaic information, we, the editors, are particularly interested to learn about who the author really is, what their values are, and how their personal background informed their approach to the research, their stance, their position.We hope to read what is often referred to as a positionality statement: a critical self-reflection by the author on how their values contributed to the research.It need not be excessively long and could be formatted as part of, or as a replacement for, the bio statement that many journals now expect.Alternatively, it could be placed within the methods section.Ideally, a positionality statement informs the reader about the power differences that the author brings to the research because this contextualisation allows the reader a deeper insight into the values and thoughts of the author.The positionality statement should not be a simple piece of boilerplate cut and pasted into each and every paper.We encourage authors to resist the temptation to use ready-made identity labels and categories, as these can obscure a researcher's unique personal history (Robertson, 2002).The statement should be a unique segment of text that the author composes explicitly for the precise context of the particular research that the paper describes.For example, imagine an action research study of top management teams, where the author is also acting as a consultant to the organisation, helping to solve problems and implement solutions.Here, the reader will benefit from knowing what the author's role is given the dual responsibilities of researcher and consultant.If the author was a practitioner, or indeed a consultant, in a former professional life, then this is certainly worth noting.However, it is much less important to indicate if the author is biologically male or female or identifies with any gender perspective.In contrast, if a similar study was done with an aim to examine gender or ethnic issues, then it would be important for readers to learn about the author's gender or ethnic positionality.Research can never be truly neutral, as personal experiences, social identities, and professional backgrounds inevitably shape the questions researchers choose to ask.These factors also influence: which questions remain unasked, or are asked obliquely, or are taboo to ask; which phenomena are noticed or ignored or taken for granted; and how the researcher is seen or not seen or wants to be seen.A researcher's positionality
Source: Information Systems Journal
DOI: 10.1111/isj.70058
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7202310176