Navigating the terrain of methodological uncertainties to new spaces of research

A central aspect of research, is the researcher’s philosophical perspective which influences methodological choices. This chapter captures my emerging philosophical perspective and the methodological challenges faced during confirmation of my PhD. One challenge, was when the methodological choice of hermeneutic phenomenology was questioned by my confirmation panel against my research philosophical perspective underpinned by Foucault (1991) and Derrida (1999). This led to uncertainties in the choice of methodology in relation to my perspective. The need to respond to these concerns moved me to re-conceptualise self in research. My developing philosophical perspective emerges through this chapter as a journey through the research maze, and captures the new spaces of research that methodological uncertainties led me to. This chapter takes the reader through my navigation of the research maze, and introduces them to a range of lessons that I learnt. These lessons provide direction and insight for other PhD students of the potential dilemmas faced when attempting to unravel the complexities inherent in methodology, to find their own space of research