When Researching among Women in Selected African Initiated Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe: The Case of Johanne Marange Apostolic Church

Abstract

Several scholars in the global north and global south have been advocating for the decolonisation of social research methods. Western hegemony has often conquered methods of social inquiry used in Africa. This is even though such methods of inquiry may not be appropriate in African contexts. The way researchers interact with the researched must respect the cultures of the later. This article suggests a contextual approach to social research among women in the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church in Zimbabwe. Generally, women in most African cultural contexts and certain apostolic churches have a low social status compared to their male counterparts. They lack the freedom to make certain decisions, including the decision to participate in research without approval from their partners or other male authority figures in their lives. It is often not easy to target a woman as a unit of social inquiry as some men may not be at liberty to have their wives interviewed without their involvement, especially when the interviewer is a man. This study employed narrative review as its methodology, and the data was analysed using content analysis. The article explored the social and spiritual position of women in the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church and demonstrated how these may influence research processes. It proposes strategies for gaining access to research areas, how to best collect data, and seeking informed consent when collecting data from subordinated women in the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church. We also encourage researchers to try to understand apostolic beliefs and worldviews as they have a bearing on the vulnerability of women who partake in research studies.