Zine-Making as Site of Research Brave Space: From Ethical Challenges to Transformative Opportunities in the Study of Digital Sexual Intimacies

Authors

Rachele Reschiglian, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, ItalyFollow
Cosimo Marco Scarcelli, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Italy

Abstract

This paper presents zine-making workshops as sites of Research Brave Spaces (RBS), a methodological posture for scholars within transformative worldviews. Positioned within queer research methodologies, the paper argues that zine-making offers a creative and multimodal method that enhances participant engagement and reflexivity, challenging some limitations of traditional research methods. By framing research as a “brave space,” the paper shifts from the notion of “safe spaces,” emphasising the importance of embracing discomfort, vulnerability, and critical reflection throughout the research process in all the subjects involved. The methodology incorporates elements of care, collaboration, and adaptability, addressing the specific needs of marginalised participants, including neurodivergent individuals. Presenting the case study of researching sexting practices among queer subjectivities in Italy, the paper present how zine-making workshops create a space where participants can safely explore sensitive topics like digital sexual intimacies while maintaining agency and control over their narratives. The workshops serve not only as a data collection method but also as a transformative site for co-producing knowledge, empowering both participants and researchers to confront power imbalances and engage in self-reflexivity. This paper highlights the potential of zine-making to foster more inclusive, participatory research practices through multimodal/creative methods, offering a flexible and accessible approach that aligns with the ethics of care in qualitative research. By embedding creative methods like zine-making, the paper contributes to ongoing discussions about innovative methodologies in the social sciences, particularly those that engage with vulnerable and non-normative subjectivities.

Keywords

zine-making, multimodal methodology, research brave space, digital intimacies, sexting

Author Bio(s)

Rachele Reschiglian (they/she), Ph.D. student in Social Sciences at the Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology of the University of Padova (Italy). Their works engage with intercultural communication; gender, sexualities, and queerness; digital cultures and intimacies; social movements and visuality. They are interested in qualitative multimodal/visual and participatory research and methods. Rachele Reschiglian https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5802-8415

Cosimo Marco Scarcelli, Ph.D., is an Associate professor at Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology of the University of Padova (Italy). He teaches Media, Gender and Sexuality and Digital Intimacies. His research deals with sexuality, gender and digital culture, digital intimacies, pornography, masculinities, love and emotions and young people. Cosimo Marco is an editor of The Journal of Gender Studies and co-chair of the Digital Intimacies Research Network. Cosimo Marco Scarcelli https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0384-6250

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Rachele Reschiglian, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, email: rachele.reschiglian@phd.unipd.it

Publication Date

4-22-2025

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2025.8166

Recommended APA Citation

Reschiglian, R., & Scarcelli, C. M. (2025). Zine-making as site of research brave space: From ethical challenges to transformative opportunities in the study of digital sexual intimacies. The Qualitative Report, 30(4), 3494-3514. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2025.8166