Exploring ‘I’ in research: reflexivity through a Lacanian lens

OpenAlex İngilizce

This article explores reflexivity through a Lacanian lens, emphasizing the divided nature of the subject and the role of the unconscious in shaping reflexive practices. It examines the limitations of traditional definitions of reflexivity, which often focus on the self or ego, and offers a Lacanian perspective centered on the subject and the Borromean knot. By highlighting the roles of academic norms and expectations, language, ideal images, and unconscious forces, the article argues that reflexivity involves not only a dynamic negotiation between the researcher’s subjectivity and academic structures but also the interplay of the imaginary, symbolic, and real dimensions of subjectivity. It also emphasizes how language exposes the often-overlooked real dimension within reflexivity.