The Holistic Empowering Methodological Approach (HEMA): Putting Participants in the Driver's Seat

This article presents the Holistic Empowering Methodological Approach (HEMA), which is philosophically informed by the concept of diversity by design; epistemologically and methodologically guided by hermeneutic phenomenology; and supported by the method of qualitative survey combined with the Single Question Aimed at Inducing Narrative (SQUIN) technique. This is a methodological conceptual article whereby the development and application of the HEMA is illustrated through the study that examined the learning and professional development experiences of disabled and neurodiverse PhD students in library and information science (LIS) programs amid the lingering COVID-19 pandemic and explored their academic lifeworlds. The article critically assesses the merits and shortcomings of the HEMA and provides other researchers with a roadmap for replicating the HEMA in every phase of research: from brainstorming to the selection of methods, to data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting. In so doing, the article also strives to reaffirm the vitality of rigorous qualitative methodology in studying underresearched, minoritized, and marginalized communities. From the scholarly worldview to specific methodological choices, this framework advocates for the type of research that puts participants in the “driver's seat,” giving them agency and providing the opportunity for self-definition and self-determination. The nuanced presentation of a holistic methodological approach, with particular attention paid to the issues of methodological rigor and quality control, will be of benefit to both beginner and seasoned researchers and can serve as an educational aid in research methods courses and dissertation supervision.