Positive Autoethnography: An Introduction to Theory and Practice

Freda and Claude''s autoethnographies provide an intriguing background into the person behind the scholar. As scientists, we spend our lives trying to understand others and what makes them “tick”. In this invaluable volume, the lens is turned toward the scientists so we come to understand what makes them “tick”. I highly recommend this volume to all who are curious about the person behind the science.

If the word “positive” in the book title drew you in, this is a good start. Stick with it and you will learn much about positive psychology, autoethnography, and positive autoethnography. This book reminds readers that all aspects of human experiences are worthy to be explored in autoethnography. Its theoretical and practical approach is accessible to all levels of autoethnographers.

In Positive Autoethnography, contributors trace the development and evolution of autoethnography, explore the connections between positive psychology and autoethnographic inquiry, and showcase work that prioritizes well-being and transformation. This collection will be of interest to psychologists, especially those trained in positivism, who seek to integrate personal experience into therapeutic and research practice.

My personal experience of writing this positive autoethnography is that it hit the trifecta of happiness for me – it was pleasurable, engaging, and deeply meaningful! I found myself having an urge to return to it and keep up with the writing. I experienced an array of personal insights – many of which I share in the article – as I connected past experiences from many parts of my life with present day. In this way, the writing and reflective experience was highly integrative and was a positive intervention in and of itself, boosting my well-being and inner peace. I am now thinking of ways to continue the journey! I can see this emerging approach as important for future qualitative research and a good new direction for positive psychology.

Perusing the contents of the richly variegated but conceptually coherent contents of Positive Autoethnography stirred a sense of curiosity in me that blossomed slowly into fascination. As a theorist, therapist and researcher who approaches life-altering loss and grief as a quest for meaning, I found myself resonating to the call for an honest yet disciplined practice of narrative self-reflection, directed by the intention to find in the rubble of even shattering experiences something of value. Paraphrasing Thoreau nearly 200 years ago, I admire the contributors’ wish to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if they could not learn what it had to teach. I for one look forward to learning along with the practitioners of this emerging genre of life writing that Gonot-Schoupinsky and Mayer are thoughtfully cultivating.

This book offers an insightful introduction to Positive Autoethnography and a valuable guide for anyone with an interest in exploring the intersection of personal narrative, cultural context, and positive change.

Developed in consultation with Dr. Mark Weeks, and featuring the work of numerous scholars, this collection introduces the theoretical and practical underpinnings of Positive Autoethnography.

• | Author: Claude-Helene Mayer, Freda Gonot-Schoupinsky
• | Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
• | Publication Date: Oct 21, 2025
• | Number of Pages:
• | Language:
• | Binding: Hardback
• | ISBN-13: 9781805922780
• | ISBN-10: 1805922785