The Role of Reflexivity in Endarkened Narrative Inquiry

Reflexivity is a common methodological and ethical practice that researchers employ. However, reflexivity, especially for endarkened narrative inquiry (ENI), extends beyond exploring positionality, power, and complicity and requires an ethic of care that recognizes the integral role of tending to the researcher’s embodiment, relational accountability, and well-being in the process. This article explores reflexivity as an embodied, relational, social, and cultural practice that enables researchers to challenge dominant narratives, engage in intellectual play, and foster new possibilities for knowledge creation. To deepen reflexive engagement in ENI, I present a reflexive cycle that integrates embodied, relational, and spiritual dimensions of reflexivity. This cyclical framework consists of six phases: awareness, relational engagement, spiritual and cultural integration, critical examination, knowledge transformation, and documentation and integration. By focusing on the iterative and holistic nature of reflexivity, this model proposes a framework for researchers seeking to engage more deeply with their own inquiry processes while remaining accountable to the communities with which they interact.