On Oct. 26, 2016, I proposed a research (co-inquiry) project to Rafiq, a new friend and colleague, whom I have written about and he has responded on the FMning (re: his book).
Rafiq, in a good spirit, accepted this unknown adventure with me, based around us exploring systematically, "What does Rafiq think about fear and fearlessness?" Now, after a few months of inquiry together, gathering data, I am beginning to work out the "results" (from my interpretive perspective). How to approach this requires that I clarify for myself (and Rafiq)--if that is truly possible entirely--my direction, approach, perspective of doing a fearanalysis around the research question and the data collected. The Photo here is a mind map, like i often do to handle complexity--before I attempt to tighten down a more 'clean' model to organize how I want to proceed in the writing/analysis formulations.
Rafiq and I will likely publish something more officially one day on this co-inquiry. I so appreciate his willingness to 'stick in there' with me on this intense journey, and to put himself out there on-the-line, so to speak, with an inquiry about his own thinking--about a very 'touchy' subject. At least, that is my experience in working with many people in the past, though not so intensely a fearanalysis per se. People tend to be defensive around how they think about fear--and, one reason is, because fear itself doesn't like to be challenged! (or, at least that's my hypothesis of "why" the defensiveness)... oh, also, because how one thinks is based on what one values, their beliefs, their faith even, and their worldview. Rare is the soul that really wants all that critiqued, as is inevitable in any honest co-inquiry that involves the inquirer to be more or less 'exposed'. Now, for me, I am clear, the target is not Rafiq (as a personhood)--though he is involved, rather I focus on the discourse (and Discourse) [1] as the unit under the critical lens of fearanalysis. Oh, and yes, I am also, with my discourses also under the spotlight, though not in the same way as Rafiq based on the nature of the construction of our question for the co-inquiry: that is, "What does Rafiq think about fear and fearlessness?"
To be clear, he and I have partaken this venture in good faith of good intentions to learn about ourselves, our thinking biases, and all for potential change, if not healing and growth, perhaps even transformation. It is a case study, a demonstration project, in application of fearanalysis as well, and, hey, we may even discover something new about fear itself.
End Note
1. "discourse" and "Discourse" (cap 'D') are being used here in a Foucauldian perspective, based on Michel Foucault's work and others... a much longer definition, for another time.
Comments