Abstract
Based on a qualitative study on young Korean immigrant children’s interpretation of American popular culture, this paper reflects on the researchers’ role by examining the research challenges faced. Prior to discussing the research obstacles in conducting the study, we begin with briefly describing its methodology and design. Next, we discuss the various obstacles we encountered when conducting our study and howwe attempted to overcome these dilemmas by discussing two major struggles during the research process: a) the relationships between the researchers and our young participants, and b) the cultural sensitivity that was needed in initially gaining permission from and working with the parents of our informants. It then illuminates how the researchers attempted to cope with such difficulties by rethinking a researchers’s role emphasizing the importance of cultural context in research. Finally, the paper provides some discussions and implications based on our research experiences.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alldred, P. (1998). Ethnography and discourse analysis: Dilemmas in representing the voices of children. In J. Ribbens & R. Edwards (Eds.), Feminist dilemmas in qualitative research: Public knowledge and private lives (pp. 147–170). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Apple, M. (2004). Ideology and curriculum. (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge Falmer.
Bishop, R. (1998). Freeing ourselves from neo–colonial domination in research: A Maori approach to creating knowledge. Qualitative Studies in Education, 11(2), 199–219.
Burman, E. (1992). Feminism and discourse in developmental psychology: Power, subjectivity and interpretation. Feminism & Psychology, 2(1), 45–60.
Chu, H. (1993). Multiethnic reminder: The Korean Americans. Chevy Chase, MD: National 4–H Council. ERIC ED 371 106.
Coenen, H. (1986). A silent world of movements: Interactional processes among deaf children. In J. Cook–Gumperz, W. Corsaro, & J. Streeck (Eds.), Children’s worlds and children’s language (pp. 253–287). Berlin, DL: Mouton de Gruyter.
Collins, P. (1990). Black feminist thought: Knowledge, consciousness and the politics of empowerment. New York, NY: Routledge.
Corsaro, W. (1981). Entering the child’s world - Research strategies for field entry and data collection in a preschool setting. In J. Green & C. Wallat (Eds.), Ethnography and language in educational settings (pp. 117–146). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation.
Corsaro,W. (1985). Friendship and peer culture in the early years. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation.
Corsaro, W. (2003). We’re friends, right? Inside kids’ culture. Washington, DC: Joseph Henry Press.
Cremeens, J., Eiser, C., & Blades, M. (2007). A qualitative investigation of school–aged children’s answers to items from a generic quality of life measure. Child: Care, Health and Development, 33(1), 83–89.
Crosnoe, R. (2007). Early child care and the school readiness of children from Mexican immigrant families. International Migration Review, 41(1), 152–181.
Cuban, L. (1986). Teachers and machines: The classroom use of technology since 1920. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Derrida, J. (1976). Of grammatology. London, UK: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Derrida, J. (1978). Writing and difference. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
Dyson, A. (1997). Writing superheroes: Contemporary childhood, popular culture, and classroom literacy. NewYork, NY: Teachers College Press.
Eder, D. &Corsaro,W. (1999). Ethnographic studies of children and youth: Theoretical and ethical issues. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 28(5), 520–531.
Fine, G. (1987). With the boys: Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Freire, P. & Giroux, H. (1989). Pedagogy, popular culture and public life: An introduction. In H. Giroux, & R. Simon (Eds.), Popular culture: Schooling and everyday life (pp. vii–xii). New York, NY: Bergin & Garvey.
Giroux, H. (1995). Animating youth: The disneyfication of children’s culture. Socialist Review, 24(3), 23–55.
Giroux, H. (1999). The mouse that roared: Disney and the end of innocence. New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefiled.
Glaser, G. & Strauss, A. (1975). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago: Aldine.
Graue, E. & Walsh, D. (1998). Studying children in context: Theories, methods, and ethics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Hill, M., Laybourn, A., & Borland, M. (1996). Engaging with primary–aged children about their emotions and well–being: Methodological considerations, Children and Society, 10, 129–144.
Huber, J. & Clandinin, J. (2002). Ethical dilemmas in relational narrative inquiry with children. Qualitative Inquiry, 8(6), 785–803.
James, A., Jenks, C., & Prout. A. (1998). Theorizing childhood. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
James, A. & Prout, A. (1997). Constructing and reconstructing childhood: Contemporary issues in the sociological study of childhood. Bristol, PA: Falmer Press.
Jenks, C. (1982). The sociology of childhood: Essential readings. London, UK: Batsford Academic.
Krähenbühl, S. & Blades, M. (2006). The effect of interviewing techniques on young children’s responses to questions. Child: Care, Health and Development, 32(3), 321–331.
Lee, L. (2006). “Becoming an American Princess?" Interpretations of American popular culture by young Korean girls living in the United States. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington.
Lee, L. (2008). Understanding gender through Disney’s marriages: A study of young Korean immigrant girls. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(1), 11–18.
Lee, L. (2009). Young children’s interpretations of royalty in American popular culture: A case study of Korean immigrant girls’ perspectives. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 7(2).
Lee, S. (2002). The significance of language and cultural education on secondary achievement: A survey of Chinese–Americans and Korean– American students. Bilingual Research Journal, 26(2), 327–338.
Lee, Y. (1991). Koreans in Japan and the United States. In M.A. Gibson & J.U. Ogbu (Eds.), Minority status and schooling: A comparative study of immigrant and involuntary minorities (pp. 131–167). New York, NY: Garland Publishing.
Leventhal, T., Xue, Y., & Brooks–Gunn, J. (2006). Immigrant differences in school–age children’s verbal trajectories: A look at four racial/ethnic groups. Child Development, 77(5), 1359–1374.
Lewis, A. (2002). Accessing, through research interviews, the views of children with difficulties in learning. Support for Learning, 17(3), 110– 116.
Locke, J. (1989). Some thought concerning education. J Yolton (Ed.), The Clarendon edition of the works of John Locke. London, UK: Oxford. (Original work published in 1693)
Luker, K. (2006). When sex goes to school: Warring views on sex and sex education since the sixties. New York, NY: W.W. Norton Press.
Magnuson, K., Lahaie, C., & Waldfogel, J. (2006). Preschool and school readiness of children of immigrants. Social Science Quarterly, 87 (1), 1241–1262.
Mandell, N. (1991). The least–adult role in studying children. In F. Waksler (Ed.), Studying the social worlds of children (pp. 38–59). London, UK: Falmer Press.
Mauthner, M. (1997). Methodological aspects of collecting data from children: Lessons from three research projects. Children and Society, 11, 16–28.
Mayall, B. (2000). Conversations with children: Working with generational issues. In P. Christensen & A. James (Eds.). Research with children: Perspectives and practices (pp. 120–135). London, UK: Routledge Falmer.
Patton, M.Q. (1980). Qualitative evaluation methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Peak, L. (1991). Learning to go to school in Japan: The transition from home to school life. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Robinson, C. & Kellett, M. (2004). Power. In S. Fraser, V. Lewis, S. Ding, M, Kellett, & C. Robinson (Eds.), Doing research with children and young people (pp. 81–96). Thousand Oak, CA: Sage.
Rumbaut, R. & Portes, A. (2001). Ethnicities: Children of immigrants in America. Los Angeles, CA: University of Los Angles Press.
Spradley, J. (1979). The ethnographic interview. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Strauss, A. (1987). Qualitative analysis for social scientists. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Suarez–Orozco, C. & Suarez–Orozco, M. (2001). Children of immigration. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press.
Thorne, B. (1993). Gender play: Girls and boys in school. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Waksler, F. (1991). Studying children: Phenomenological insights. In F. Waksler (Ed.), Studying the social worlds of children: Sociological readings (pp. 38–59). London, UK: Falmer Press
Zhou, M, (2004). Are Asian Americans becoming “White?" Context, 3(1), 29– 37.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lee, L., Goodman, J. Traversing the Challenges of Conducting Research with Young, Immigrant Children: The Case of Korean Children. Interchange 40, 225–244 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-009-9091-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-009-9091-6