Multiple Positionalities; Multiple Perspectives: Exploring the tension that lies between consumer’s expertise and their (perceived) vulnerability across four contexts

Abstract

A key dilemma common to critical health and human studies is the tension that lies between consumers’ autonomy alongside their right to, or perceived need for, protection. Through a Roundtable conversation, we use real-life vignettes gathered from research across palliative care, early childhood education and care, trauma-informed care and HIV preventative care to sketch out commonalities, illuminate key principles, and connect ideas across disciplines to generate new understandings and ways of approaching this complex transdisciplinary issue. In our discussion, we ask: 1) What should consumer access to information look like? – Is informed decision-making and ensuring accessible information enough? 2) Can agency be a burden? – Is someone else having the answer at times a good thing? 3) Do practitioners need power to share power? – What is the impact of regulation, professional standards and practitioner autonomy on a (often) marginalised workforce? Our Roundtable features four PhD Scholars who represent multiple identities, positionalities and disciplinary training who regularly meet to share perspectives.