Embodied Reflexivity: Implications of Relational Phenomenology for the Completion of International Student Research Projects

Abstract

Heretofore, the human body has been viewed as primarily a transportation vehicle for the mind resulting in disembodied views about reflexivity particularly for research and witing projects. The herein focus on embodied reflexivity (ER) starts with a brief account of diverse types of reflexivity that highlight this disembodiment. Gradually, however, the focus shifts to relational dimensions to inform how we humans reflect on our lived experiences as subjects and objects in the material and social environments in our lifeworld at various times and spaces. The Relational Phenomenology-informed analysis of ER highlights links to a new Temporality, Experientiality, Materiality, and Spatiality (TEMS) framework that considers both the mind and body jointly for a range of embodied experiences although the herein applied focus is on research and writing events and activities. The brief discussion at the end is only meant to highlight applicability of core concepts and the promise of benefits from more systematic application in the future for supervision of postgraduate dissertations and capstone research projects among international students. The paper calls for further development of ER using Relational Phenomenology (ReP) in teaching, learning and tutorial sessions.