Racism-Conscious Reflexivity in Qualitative Research: A Practical Methodological Framework

Advancing research methodologies grounded in critical theories and fostering scientific knowledge conscious of racism require thoughtfulness, integrity, rigor, and an unwavering commitment to racial justice. It demands that we, as researchers, pause and reflect-that we consider the multitude of ways that our racial socialization, biases, and all levels of racism (e.g., systemic, interpersonal, internalized) influence the entire research process. This article advocates for qualitative researchers to take a deliberate pause and engage in thoughtful reflection about racism, racial identity, power, and bias, as well as the importance and ethics of questioning methodologies to help prevent the creation of racially oppressive scholarship. To achieve this goal, we present the racism-conscious reflexivity in research (RCR) framework, which invites researchers to actively pay attention to how (a) racial identity schemas, (b) racialized cognitive and emotional biases, (c) information processing strategies, and (d) social interactions between and among research team members shape all aspects of a research study. The RCR framework also considers how these four areas influence how researchers respond to and think about racism, its influence on people's experiences, and its operations in research methodologies. Coding scenarios are used to illustrate the application of the RCR framework in the analysis and interpretation process of qualitative research. Methodological guidance is provided.