Paul: A Life Told Backwards

This chapter focuses upon the violent death of Paul. Starting from a reflection on being informed of his murder and working backwards, the chapter offers an abridged life history of Paul. Working back from his demise, through his loss of employment, involvement in organized criminality, imprisonment and then through his early life, the chapter aims to tell his story. In doing so the structural and cultural influences that shaped his life are explored while also offering an insight into his character and own personal reflections. The chapter concludes with an honest appraisal of how his participation in the study, the honesty he was brave enough to offer, and his untimely death left me with more questions than answers around how to enter, exist and exit within the research field.