Men and Me(n)

Abstract

There is an absence of literature on the dynamics of men interviewing men generally and particularly, on sensitive subjects. Childless men are, compared to women, absent from geographical, gerontological, psychological, reproductive and sociological research. These disciplines have mainly focused on motherhood, women and family formation. Over the past 15 years, research literature on both involuntary childlessness and ageing has highlighted the paucity of material on men’s experience. Consequently, the fertility intentions, history and experience of men have been overlooked. Infertility research has shown that failure to fulfill the status of parenthood may lead to a complex form of bereavement and is a significant challenge to identity. In this piece, I draw on my experience of conducting an auto/biographical doctoral study on the life experiences of 14 involuntarily childless older men. I briefly explore the literature surrounding research interviews with men participants. I highlight the gender dynamics encountered in both interview and wider academic settings. I identify how danger, harm and risk are present in academic environments such as conferences. I use my experience to illustrate how physical, emotional and ethical dangers affect one’s sense of self. I argue that ethical standards should be applied to all research locations.

Keywords: Auto/Biography, Biographic-Narrative Interpretive Method, Childlessness, Class, Emotional Labour, Ethical Limits, Feminisms, Gender, Masculinities, Professional Danger, Sensitive Research