Complicated shadows: a discussion of positionality within educational research.

This paper comprises a Socratic dialogue that explores the mix of advocacy, acceptance, apathy, confusion, and criticality often presented by new educational researchers as they encounter and navigate positionality in the first stages of their research projects. The fictionalised ancient form allows a vehicle to explore common debates and discussions with new researchers as they seek to accommodate to the demands of reflexivity. Concluding with an epilogue the author suggests the importance of forging a place for new educational researchers to thoughtfully engage with positionality, in the hope of avoiding the institutional petrification of such a vital methodological and epistemological approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]