The Qualitative Open Mic

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The Qualitative Applied Health Research Centre dives into current applications, innovations, and conundrums for all those interested in qualitative research, academics and non-academics alike.

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    • May 21, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 31m AVG DURATION
    • 42 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Qualitative Open Mic

    Neurodiversity Matters: Hannah Belcher on (un)masking and mental health research

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 27:38


    Sohail interviews Dr Hannah Belcher, author of Taking off the Mask and lecturer in user-led research at King's. They cover some of the ethical complexities of the neurodiversity framework; how the specifically gendered nature of mainstream autism research has overlooked the experiences of women and non binary people; and how all this plays into issues around masking, social pressure, and mental health.

    Neurodiversity Matters: Morénike Giwa Onaiwu on antiracist advocacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 33:49


    Has qualitative research been complacent about its ability to highlight marginalised perspectives? Sohail speaks to Dr Morénike Giwa Onaiwu about forthcoming anthology "Neurodiversity en Noir" and platforming Black neurodivergent voices. 

    Neurodiversity Matters: Monique Botha on funding priorities and community justice

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2025 35:56


    Why is the funding agenda for autism research so far from what the communities concerned want? There's a long tradition of prioritising neurobiological and genetic work over qualitative, but how did it get this way? Sohail interviews Dr Monique Botha about citational justice, emotion in research, participatory research accessibility, and why letting community-led neurodivergence research out of its silo would benefit neurotypical and neurodivergent populations alike. 

    Neurodiversity Matters: Damian Milton on double empathy and autistic worlds

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 30:42


    Welcome to Series 7 of the Qualitative Open Mic! This series discusses the many ways neurodivergent perspectives can improve the quality, insights and impacts of qualitative health research, and what learnings this can provide for neurotypical and neurodivergent researchers alike. It showcases the critical role of researchers with ADHD, autism, dyspraxia and other neurodivergent experiences in shaping research and knowledge production.  In this first episode we discuss how mainstream theories of autism have missed the mark by failing to qualitatively explore internal autistic worlds. Sohail speaks to legend among autistic autism researchers Dr Damian Milton about his formulation of this issue, the double empathy problem, and its broader implications for neurodivergent and neurotypical-led research in neurodiversity and beyond. Damian also discusses the importance of autistic-led spaces for surviving academia as an autistic academic, through the work of the Participatory Autism Research Collective.

    Qualitative Controversies: Johnny Saldaña on blue collar qualitative research

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 33:22


    In an academic landscape dominated by formality and jargon, Johnny Saldaña brings a refreshingly raw perspective with his ideas on 'Blue Collar Qualitative Research'. We speak to him about how to challenge the ivory towers of academia. We also explore his 'kick-ass' article that tackles positionality, voice, ethics, and many other foundational aspects of qualitative research. 

    Qualitative Controversies: Hyab Yohannes and Tesfalem Yemane on refugee-led scholarship

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024 37:02


    Why are there limited voices from sanctuary seekers in qualitative research about migrant health? Tesfalem Yemane and Hyab Yohannes bring a vital perspective on 'refugee-led scholarship', dissecting the challenges and significance of broadening the scholarly space to include those who have first-hand experience seeking sanctuary. 

    Controversies in qualitative research: Amy Wells on challenging tokenistic involvement

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2024 34:06


    The involvement of service users in research holds transformative potential, but what happens when it becomes mere tokenism? When is it better to step away? With insights from the National Survivor User Network, we discuss the critical line between genuine engagement and superficial involvement, seeking ways to ensure research remains grounded, relevant, and truly collaborative. 

    Qualitative Controversies: health research under siege

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 55:41


    Amidst the ongoing occupation and genocide in Palestine, how do qualitative health researchers navigate their work and find their voice? What kind of research is it possible or ethical to do under siege? This episode, Sohail speaks to Weeam Hammoudeh, Zeina Amro, and Layth Hanbali. They delve into the courage, resilience, and ethical considerations that researchers from this region grapple with, touching upon the broader implications for academic freedom and advocacy.

    Coming soon: Health research under siege: being a qualitative researcher in Palestine

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024 1:31


    Watch this space for the next episode in our controversies series - we're translating the transcript for this one into Arabic so we've got a slight delay and will have it out next week. Join us then for "Health research under siege: being a qualitative researcher in Palestine".

    Qualitative Controversies: Peter West-Oram on government influence in research

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 35:27


    In October 2023, then-minister Michelle Donelan accused members of UK Research and Innovation's EDI committee of holding "extremist views" based on their social media comments on Palestine. She was subsequently forced to retract her statement, but the response from UKRI raised broader questions about whether and how government should be able to influence research. Peter and Sohail get into the details of this debate, covering culture wars, litigious authors, and more.

    Qualitative Controversies: Ginger Johnson on emergency response

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 32:41


    In this episode we challenge the misconception that qualitative research is too slow and narrow to influence emergency response planning. Despite the common preference for quantitative data in crises, we spotlight the irreplaceable insights that qualitative research provides—insights into human behaviour, cultural context, and community dynamics that are crucial during emergencies. Join us as we explore real-world examples where nuanced, qualitative data has informed swift, culturally sensitive, and effective emergency responses, proving that in the heat of the moment, every narrative counts.

    Qualitative Controversies:Tiarna Lee on the machine behind the method

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2024 29:03


    Sohail speaks to Tiarna Lee to explore the frontier of AI's role in health research.explore the frontier of AI's role in health research. While technology offers innovative ways to approach analysis, it comes with its unique set of challenges. From ethical considerations to methodological accuracy, join us as we dissect the potential and pitfalls of integrating AI in research. We ask, “can you have qualitative health research without the heart and soul?” Tiarna is a third year PhD student at the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences. Her research focuses on evaluating fairness and biases in AI used for cardiac imaging. In her work, she has found that models trained with imbalanced datasets have a worse performance on underrepresented subjects, often minority ethnicities and females. She is currently aiming to find the sources of these biases so that she can then find a method to address and mitigate them.

    Qualitative controversies: Profit and pricing in academia with Kirsten Bell

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2024 33:16


    In July 2023, all of the 44 editors of acclaimed Critical Public Health journal simultaneously resigned, citing concerns about Taylor and Francis' pricing system. They went on to found a new independent journal, the Journal of Critical Public Health. We speak to an editorial board member who resigned, Kirsten Bell. Kirsten sheds light on the intricate dynamics between profit, pricing, and the neoliberal influence on qualitative health research. 

    Making interpretations: Joy Llewellyn-Beardsley on lived experience

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 32:58


    This episode reflects on how lived experience can engender insights, support the interpretative process and enhance the trustworthiness of qualitative research. We consider the different kinds of experience that can enhance this process, the limits of individual lived experience, and what this means for researchers who don't have personal experience of the phenomenon under study.

    Making interpretations: Elaine Keane on Constructivist Grounded Theory

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2024 34:49


    Constructivist grounded theory's origins lie in criticisms of classical grounded theory as overly objectivist and insufficiently reflexive when it comes to interpretive processes. Sohail and Elaine discuss this context before going on to unpack the whys and hows of interpretation in constructivist grounded theory, how researchers can make the vital leap from description of data to higher-level conceptualisation, plus the pitfalls to avoid along the way.

    Making Interpretations: Alda Terracciano on Interpreting Creative Data

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2024 32:56


    The use of creative and participatory methods throws up complex issues for researchers. How do we interpret creative work? What knowledge and skills do qualitative researchers need to do this ethically? Is interpretation even the right word for this context? Sohail speaks to artist and academic Alda Terracciano to explore how visual art, poetry, and theatre can open up qualitative research into sensitive or stigmatised topics.

    Making interpretations: Michael Larkin - Leaning into interpretation in IPA

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2024 28:34


    This episode reflects on the history and theory of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis: where does its approach to meaning sit in relation to other qualitative methods and methodologies? How have new ways of collecting data and the expansion of creative methods changed IPA research? We go on to consider the insights IPA can bring to key questions actively being debated across qualitative research: the inclusion of lived experience perspectives, decolonisation, and open science.

    Making interpretations: Shira Birnbaum - How can we support qualitative researchers in making interpretations?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2024 33:59


    This episode explores the role of supervisors and mentors in furnishing the interpretative processes. How can they support novice and more experienced qualitative researchers in making interpretations? What training and reading might they provide to prepare them and what does supervision look like at this stage in the analytical process? Finally, how can the wider context be shaped in a way that is conducive to making interpretations?

    Qualitative Open Mic: Ethics in Qualitative Research – Episode 6 - Nishita Nair on marginalised researchers' ethical processes

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2023 33:49


    In this episode, we explore Nishita's research on whether social research ethics codes and institutional processes effectively aid researchers working with ethnic minority communities in the UK. Her study, involving semi-structured interviews with researchers from King's College London and the UCL Institute of Education, seeks to uncover both the benefits and limitations of these codes and processes.

    Qualitative Open Mic: Ethics in Qualitative Research – Episode 5 – María Cristina Quevedo-Gómez on Culture and Ethics

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2023 29:49


    In this episode, María Cristina Quevedo-Gómez discusses how collaboration when coming from different countries and belonging to different cultures can influence ethics.

    The Qualitative Open Mic: Ethics in Qualitative Research – Episode 4 – Janet Holt on how can health ethics committees adapt?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2023 40:36


    In this episode, Janet Holt explores health ethics committees and issues around transparency, dialogue, emerging qualitative methods and regulatory versus relational ethics

    Qualitative Open Mic: Ethics in Qualitative Research – Episode 3 – Tanya Mackay on Sharing Ethical Knowledge

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2023 30:54


    In this episode, Tanya Mackay explores how sharing ethical knowledge can provide a way through ethical dilemmas in qualitative health research

    Ethics in Qualitative Research - Episode 2 - Latefa Guemar on the skills and values of an ethical researcher

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2023 30:54


    In this episode, Latefa explores the values and skills needed by ethical researchers across diverse settings and research approaches

    Ethics in Qualitative Research - Episode 1 - Leslie Cannold on becoming an ethical researcher

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2023 38:26


    Leslie Cannold discusses different perspectives on ethics, and explores ways of becoming ethical qualitative researchers.

    Qualitative Open Mic: Anti-racist Qualitative Health Research - Episode 4 – Mary Sadid on coproduction, racial justice and mental health

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2023 29:57


    In this episode, Mary Sadid discusses the ways in which coproduction in qualitative mental health research can benefit racialised minorities. Listen below, or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

    Anti-racist Anti-racist Qualitative Health Research - Ricardo Twumasi on being anti-racist in how we share qualitative research

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2023 30:51


    In this episode, Ricardo discusses how the way we publish and share qualitative health research can help or hinder the cause of anti-racism

    Anti-racist Qualitative Health Research - Wayne Farah on framing anti-racist research questions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2023 37:03


    In this episode, Wayne Farah looks what makes a qualitative health research question anti-racist

    Anti-racist qualitative health research - Episode 1: Bee Damara on theory

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2022 31:08


    In the first episode of our Anti-racist Qualitative Health Research series, Bee Damara speaks about critical race theory in modern slavery and human trafficking research, discussing her experiences working on the Modern Slavery Core Outcome Set project at KCL

    Qualitative Conundrums Episode 6 - Co-production

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2022 43:50


    Oli Williams reflects on how to do meaningful co-production

    Qualitative Conundrums - Michael Larkin on reflexivity

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2022 33:43


    In the penultimate episode of our 'Qualitative Conundrums' series, Michael Larkin discusses how to be a reflexive qualitative researcher

    Qualitative Conundrums - Episode 4 - Impact

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2022 25:57


    In this episode, Harriet Boulding talks about how to ensure qualitative research has real-world impact

    Qualitative Conundrums Episode 3 - Theory

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2022 34:55


    In the third episode of our 'Qualitative Conundrums' series, Sharli Paphitis discusses how to use theory in qualitative analysis.

    Qualitative Conundrums Episode 2 - Quality

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2022 32:32


    Michelle O'Reilly discusses the varied ways of ensuring quality in qualitative research.

    Qualitative Conundrums Episode 1 - Saturation

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2022 32:12


    In this first episode of our Qualitative Conundrums series, Victoria Clarke reviews the concept of saturation in qualitative research.

    What counts as qualitative research? Episode 4 - Kitty Saunders

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2022 28:33


    In this episode, Kitty and Sohail go meta and talk about podcasts and qualitative research, and the importance of keeping it human

    What counts as qualitative research - Episode 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2022 24:32


    Andrew Picken, BBC Journalist, chats with Sohail about the similarities and differences between journalism and qualitative research

    What counts as qualitative research: Episode 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2021 30:05


    In this episode, Nathaniel Martin talks about his role at King's College London as a Community Research Coordinator, and his work as a youth worker, sports development, and BMX cycling coach - and how all these roles required qualitative research skills. 

    What counts as qualitative research - Episode 1 - Ruth

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2021 40:32


    In this episode, Ruth talks about the philosophical concept of cherishing. That is, caring about and being intimate with people. She thinks that philosophy can be a lot more than just theory. 

    Qualitative Mix Tape - Co-producing research with young people with lived experience with Niamh Elam and Rachel Temple

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2021 35:49


    Norha Vera chats with Niamh Elam (McPin Young People Advisory Group) and Rachel Temple (McPin Foundation) about co-production of research with young people with lived experience, discussing their project on screen use and adolescent mental health.

    Qualitative Mix Tape - Engaging young people in research with Charlotte Kühlbrandt and Hannah Cowan

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2021 20:36


    Clair Le Boutillier chats with Dr Charlotte Kühlbrandt and Dr Hannah Cowan about Utopia Now and the novel methods they are using to engage young people in research.

    Qualitative Mix Tape - Evidence-based co-design with Sarah McAllister

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2021 22:29


    Sarah McAllister talks to Alan Simpson about using evidence-based co-design on acute mental health wards.

    Qualitative Mix Tape - Iterative Categorisation with Jo Neale

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2021 15:42


    Professor Jo Neale talks about iterative categorisation.

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