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An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

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It was extremely difficult to explain <strong>the</strong> research process <strong>of</strong> agreeing to <strong>the</strong> interview,reading <strong>the</strong> transcript, listening to <strong>the</strong> tape <strong>and</strong> giving <strong>the</strong>ir views on what <strong>the</strong>y said after<strong>the</strong> interview. Getting <strong>the</strong> interview taped was also difficult for some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> respondentswho did not like to have <strong>the</strong>ir voices taped <strong>and</strong> some were wary that <strong>the</strong>y may saysomething that could be used against <strong>the</strong>m. I explained that <strong>the</strong>ir names would not berevealed to anyone except me <strong>and</strong> that I have a code for <strong>the</strong>m that would not be revealed toanyone. For some respondents once <strong>the</strong>y had agreed <strong>and</strong> told me <strong>the</strong>ir story <strong>the</strong>y had made<strong>the</strong>ir contribution <strong>and</strong> that was where <strong>the</strong>y wanted to end <strong>the</strong> relationship. The researcheralso found it difficult to revisit <strong>the</strong> interview with <strong>the</strong> respondents especially as setting up<strong>the</strong> interview was <strong>of</strong>ten a complicated feat for both <strong>the</strong> researcher <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> respondent. Icould talk to <strong>the</strong>m about o<strong>the</strong>r things as <strong>the</strong> relationship changed after <strong>the</strong> interviews to onewhere conversation with <strong>the</strong> respondent was more approachable.Following <strong>the</strong> interviews, some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> respondents enquired as to how <strong>the</strong> project wasprogressing as a matter <strong>of</strong> taking an interest not because <strong>the</strong>y wanted to be involved anyfur<strong>the</strong>r. They trusted <strong>the</strong> researcher to use <strong>the</strong> contents <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> interview for <strong>the</strong> purposeagreed. Koenig (1999), in research on faith-healing, advocates that trust is a two wayrelationships in that <strong>the</strong> researcher must gain <strong>the</strong> trust <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> respondents <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>respondents must equally trust <strong>the</strong> researcher, not only as a pr<strong>of</strong>essional but also as aperson. Gaining <strong>the</strong> trust <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> respondents <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> subjects under observation became anuphill struggle especially with <strong>the</strong> COGIC members. With ethnographers it is when <strong>the</strong>researcher is in <strong>the</strong> midst <strong>of</strong> trying to underst<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> norms <strong>and</strong> statues <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> culturalgroup that trust becomes a real issue. Observation does not require <strong>the</strong> researcher to engagein any meaningful <strong>and</strong> intimate relationship with <strong>the</strong> subjects <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>refore is relatively85

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