In this inaugural lecture, I journey through a landscape that has shaped and challenged my research over the past twenty years. This is a terrain marked by many peaks as well as plenty of deep ravines and cliff edges. How do we tell the stories of those who have no power? How do we understand and communicate experiences that are difficult or impossible to narrate in words? What are the consequences for our society and culture when research omits somatic or pre-linguistic ways of knowing? How may we stand with participants by including our own experiences and vulnerabilities? How can we conduct research with – not on – others?
My quest has been to find ways to represent what I have been learning in the course of the research, and in particular from those who have experienced trauma, stigma, discrimination, ageism, exclusion, or have otherwise been silenced by culturally dominant narratives. It is work that seeks to include those whose lives and experiences can easily lie beyond the horizon of traditional social science research methods. I invite you to join me on this journey, from pivotal moments that shaped my life and research practice to those that continue to inspire new ways to teach, learn, and carry out research.