The construction of shame in feminist reflexive practice and its manifestations in a research relationship

Despite the psychically toxic nature of shame, it has historically been under-researched and under-theorized. However, a recent burgeoning of literature has brought an increasing awareness of shame as a pathogenic force. An investigation of this noxious affect is especially pertinent in the context of feminist qualitative research. The authors consider the significant effect of shame on a specific dialogue that unfolded with a female survivor of rape in Cape Town. The analysis tracks the ubiquitous manifestations of shame between researcher and researched and reveals how shame was unavoidably generated, exacerbated, and maintained within the intersubjective field. What is highlighted is a need to reflexively locate the emotion within the racialized, gendered, and institutionalized relationships. Such a consideration would arguably provide invaluable insights for psychological research and practice as it pays critical attention to positionality, reflexivity, and the power relationships inherent in the production of knowledge.