Brown-Saracino, J. (2021). Unsettling Definitions of Qualitative Research. Qualitative Sociology, 44(4), 591–597. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11133-021-09498-9

This review essay by Japonica Brown-Saracino critiques the pursuit of rigid definitions for qualitative research. Brown-Saracino argues that the intimate researcher-data relationship, crucial to qualitative inquiry, is often at odds with efforts to establish strict boundaries. She emphasizes the value of embracing ambiguity and exploring the overlaps between qualitative and quantitative approaches. Brown-Saracino supports her position by highlighting how close engagement with data yields unexpected insights and challenges existing assumptions about social phenomena. The essay ultimately advocates for a more fluid understanding of qualitative research, allowing for methodological innovation and the exploration of areas of common ground between different research traditions. Several studies are cited to illustrate the richness and unexpected discoveries arising from in-depth qualitative research.