As I was awarded honors for my master’s thesis, my choice to use autoethnography (AE) again in my PhD seemed obvious, but two years in and, ironically, having just finalized an evocative chapter of vignettes, my PhD research was brought to a grinding halt. The ethics committee abruptly rescinded my ethics approval, listing a litany of concerns, mainly focused on relational ethics as they applied to my immediate family and the perceived potential relationships among participants. I was mortified. I had committed no infractions and wondered how the ethics committee could imagine that it would be in my interest to harm my children or my community. The Chair’s email stated he would never approve my project. Never. This word jumped out of the letter at me. I felt breathless.

I was bereft and disconsolate. I imagined giving up the PhD and reclaiming my life. I tried to visualize myself...

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