Risky Research Business: Mathematics Education Research on the Margins

Although we would like to believe that decisions about what research to conduct and how to conduct it are based solely on researcher interest and societal need, the reality is that external political and disciplinary factors do play a role. Scientifically based research (SBR) is one example of external political pressures that shape researcher choice both directly and indirectly. Additionally, disciplines like mathematics education operate under hidden curricula that have the potential to marginalize particular research foci. The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of such a narrow focus on a young mathematics education researcher's choices about the lines of inquiry that she or he pursues and the ways that she or he manages the risk associated with asking and responding to questions in ways that align with SBR and other disciplinary priorities.