As a socially oriented individual, the word “independent” has frequently been met with hesitation. Consequently, embarking on the journey of independent research appeared to be a daunting pursuit. Fears of isolation, stagnation, and diminished morale gradually lingered. However, these concerns subsided as I delved deeper into the world of research.

My research question: “How do women experiencing homelessness feel they are perceived by others?” explores the psychological and sociological dimensions of felt external perceptions in the context of an underrepresented and marginalized demographic in academic discourse. Participants of the study, women who have current or past experiences of homelessness, redefined by understanding of independence.

Prior to commencing the fieldwork period, I spent a significant amount of time cultivating relationships based on trust with the participants of the study. From cups of tea and BBQ’s to sitting in on therapeutic groups, rapports gradually flourished. The study was designed through a co-participatory, arts-based methodology. This approach involved participants constructing mixed-media collages that reflected how they felt perceived. Simultaneously, a semi-structured interview on the topic of external perceptions was conducted. As participants attuned to sensory dimensions of their experience, this process functioned as both an empowering and therapeutic form of expression.

Observing, listening to, and analyzing a diverse set of stories of women who have continued to persevere through complex adversities was both intellectually stimulating and profoundly challenging. Empathizing with these circumstances elicited, emotional responses of melancholy. This could, at times, be difficult to digest. As the fieldwork progressed, the solidarity amongst women, based on their mutual resilience became increasingly apparent. To manage my own emotional spheres, I placed more emphasis on the resilience and hope they presented. Upon reflection, the success of the data depended on relational trust, as it enabled participants engage with the qualitative process in a meaningful way. In conducting independent research, the researcher acts as the medium that amplifies the voices of their study’s participants. As such, I continuously felt connected to this unique demographic throughout the research process. 

An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), alongside frameworks of misrecognition theory and epistemic injustice were applied to the data. IPA requires researchers to engage in a double hermeneutical process where they interpret how participants make sense of their own experiences. To represent the participant’s voices as accurately as possible, I had to actively avoid jumping to the theoretical conclusions of Axel Honneth and Miranda Fricker. Rather than forcing data to mold itself into pre-existing theoretical frameworks, I allowed for the data to shape theoretical concepts. Arguably, this ensured that the participant’s voices were always held at the center of the research. In this way, the extensive hours spent alone in the library was never experienced as isolating. Contrastingly, as the IPA progressed, the more connected I felt to the women who’s stories I endeavored to represent.

As a visual representation of the research findings, I created a short documentary film centered around one of the research participants. Before I began the documentary, I was advised to: “follow the story”. It was not until the filming commenced that the advice’s saliency became apparent. Similar to the process of IPA, the documentary’s narrative structure unfolded organically the more time we spent with the participant, both on and off camera. Experiencing how gradual trust revealed new pieces to her mosaic was enthralling. Capturing the subject’s holistic narrative required patience and continuous compassion. Further, working closely alongside the subject, a videographer and music producer created a synergy that continuously motivated and excited me to continue to work diligently to achieve the project’s objective. Combining skills and perspectives allowed for the project to be holistically shaped.

Looking back on the project’s lifespan, I have realized it was created by the confluence of impulses from connections I experienced along the way. Axel Honneth’s fascinating take on recognition, my supervisor’s guidance, motivation from Laidlaw scholars and friends, and significantly, the resilience of the participants themselves; were all instrumental agents in the molding the project. In alignment with Honneth’s view, my study assumed that individuals are deeply social beings. Their senses of selves are mirrored and developed through relational interactions. To independently complete this project, I relied on my self-confidence and belief to be continuously preserved. The confidence others showed in the project, reinforced by own self-beliefs, which allowed me to persevere through challenges that arose. In leading a project of this nature, I realize how one can be limited by solemnly relying on one’s own ability. It is therefore of central importance to harness the expertise, skill and care of individuals within one’s environment to achieve a holistic outcome.