Research Article
Ziwei Qi, April N. Terry
AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 9, Issue 1, pp. 1-15
ABSTRACT
This study explores trauma-informed practices within courtroom settings in a Midwestern state, comparing urban and rural judicial districts through in-depth field observations. Using a semi-structured observational approach, we examined courtroom dynamics, environmental factors, and community influences to assess how trauma-informed design principles are applied. Our findings reveal notable contrasts: rural courtrooms grappled with resource limitations and conservative cultural influences, while urban settings displayed a fast-paced, often impersonal atmosphere. Socio-political factors, such as community values and political symbolism, emerged as significant influences on courtroom practices, shaping the receptiveness and implementation of trauma-informed approaches. Guided by Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis framework, we identified themes including resource constraints, courtroom decorum, community socio-political influences, and privacy considerations. The study highlights the need for adaptive trauma-informed policies and judicial training that account for socio-cultural differences, advocating for increased support to rural jurisdictions to enhance the implementation of trauma-informed judicial practices
Keywords: trauma-informed, courtroom, rural and urban, field observations
Research Article
Andi Clemons
AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 9, Issue 1, pp. 16-31
ABSTRACT
In the face of increasing major emergencies, higher education administrators must strategically recalibrate institutional policies and leadership practices to enhance resilience. While contemporary scholarship underscores the pivotal role of leaders in fostering resilience, further evidence is needed to understand this relationship within higher education, and the impact of department chairs on faculty resilience remains underexplored. This phenomenological study utilized semi-structured interviews with full-time instructional faculty to explore faculty's lived experiences during recurring traumatic events, COVID-19 and Hurricane Ian, at a public university in Southwest Florida, achieving data saturation through the depth and richness of the interviews. Themes emerged through constant comparative thematic analysis, revealing the significant role of department chairs in fostering faculty resilience. Positive leadership support strengthened resilience and community cohesion, while inadequate support weakened the relationship between faculty and the institution, thus impacting the resilience of the faculty and organization. These themes underscore the need for academic leaders to develop strategies that bolster faculty support, positioning department chairs as central to fostering and cultivating resilience in higher education.
Keywords: COVID-19, faculty, department chair, Hurricane Ian, resilience
Research Article
Elizabeth L. Jaeger
AM J QUALITATIVE RES, Volume 9, Issue 1, pp. 32-51
ABSTRACT
In recent years, researchers have debated the extent to which practitioners of poetic inquiry should feel obligated to generate text that excels both as research and as poetry. This article enters the debate by tracing changes made to a ‘found’ research poem. I generated the poem from excerpts taken from participants’ writings and then employed a series of revision techniques: from Saunders’ informal method to a more orthodox checklist constructed from the recommendations of a range of poets, and, finally, in response to critiques from members of a writing group. The focus of this process was to find the point at which the product became appreciably better than the original draft but also stayed true to the participants’ meaning and language. I argue here that extensive revision may enhance the quality of a research poem, but remaining close to participants’ intent and wording should be the first and foremost methodological goal. Although a number of previous articles have referenced the ‘quality’ debate, none, to my knowledge, have systematically tracked the process of analysis and draft improvement. The work will be of interest to readers because the article explores the choices and obligations faced by researchers employing this method.
Keywords: Writing, poetic inquiry, qualitative research