Powerful Methodologies/Powerful Pedagogy: Autoethnography and Dialogic Interviews in a WGS Empowerment Self-Defense Class

Abstract

Autoethnography and dialogic interviewing are valued qualitative research methodologies across multiple disciplines. However, their use in college classrooms as a focal point of student writing, learning, and empowerment is less documented than its use in research studies despite being powerful learning tools. I describe my use of these methodologies in a women’s and gender studies course. Grounded in compelling examples from students’ autoethnographic papers and dialogic interview reports, I analyze how these methodologies enhance engagement with new academic knowledge and skills, guide meaningful self-reflexivity, foster evocative writing, encourage peer-to-peer learning, and create strong classroom relationships.