Me(n) on Me(n): interviews between involuntarily childless men. The treats and threats and of working with ‘Auto/Biographical I’ in sociological research

Hadley, Robin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4254-7648 (2018) Me(n) on Me(n): interviews between involuntarily childless men. The treats and threats and of working with ‘Auto/Biographical I’ in sociological research. In: British Society of Gerontology 47th Annual Conference, 4 July 2018 - 6 July 2018, Manchester, UK. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

In person presentation. The auto-biographical approach emphasises that researchers are not detached, neutral observers and that self, involvement, privilege, and power are acknowledged in the research process. There is an absence of the dynamics of when men interview men on a sensitive subject. Childless men are, compared to women, absent from geographical, gerontological, psychological, reproductive, and sociological research. These disciplines have mainly focussed on parenthood, family, and women. Feminist researchers’ have highlighted the paucity of material on the fertility intentions, history and experience of men. While reproduction is central to feminisms it is absent from masculinities scholarship. This presentation draws on my doctoral qualitative study framed auto/biographical, biographical, feminist, gerontological and life course approaches. In-depth biographical interviews were conducted with 14 men, aged between 49 and 82 years. I will explore the gender dynamics I encountered in interviewing my participants and the range of reactions in academic settings.