UNM Conference on Fieldwork

Conducting Fieldwork under Complicated Circumstances

Fiorella Vera-Adrianzn & Anna Calasanti
Department of Political Science
University of New Mexico
Fieldwork Challenges and Dilemmas

The goal of UNM conference Conducting Fieldwork under Complicated Circumstances is to bring together
faculty and graduate students from across UNM who are interested in improving approaches to fieldwork,
particularly in situations where research is made more difficult due to complicated circumstances. We are defining
"complicated circumstances" as anything that increases the level of risk for either the research participants or the
researcher. This could mean research involving vulnerable populations, on sensitive topics, or in areas where there
is violence or state fragility, or any set of circumstances that heightens the ethical, moral, logistical, and personal
considerations of the research. Below, we provide a non-exhaustive list of some of these challenges and dilemmas
with the purpose of helping encourage dialogue about this topic across all conference panels.
Ethical
Risk of revictimization/ retraumatization of research participants
Instrumentalization of research participants
Externalities (i.e. risks and benefits) of participation in fieldwork activities
Disruption or transgression/violation of cultural norms
Pros and cons of cultural embedding, building trust and personal relationships with participants
Giving back to the community: why and how should we give back to the community? What are some of the
constraints, benefits and risks when doing so? What are some appropriate ways to do it?
Mediator role among parties that are in conflict in the field: Shuttle diplomacy
Intervening to help research participants (directly or indirectly)
Confidentiality and privacy of research participants responses: how to secure this at all times, especially
when methods imply a bigger audience (i.e. focus groups)? Are there any cases in which these principles can
be overlooked? What should be done under those circumstances?
DA-RT (Data Access and Research Transparency): pros and cons
Identity of the researcher
Perceptions about researcher: What kind of impression do we give social actors about us, as researchers, as
representatives of academic institutions or of disciplinary fields?
Logistical / Practical
Developing efficient and realistic itineraries/ traveling plans
Traveling across mountainous terrain, difficult geographical features, conflict zones
Organization of collected data; in particular qualitative data
Collection and processing/analysis of data while in the field: sequential or parallel tasks?
Measures to safely store collected data
Reporting to and communicating with advisors, mentors, peers
Cost-effective and safe plans for lodging and meals
Language and cultural barriers
Personal/Security
Physical safety/health: risk factors and protective/preventive measures
Emotional/psychological safety/health: risk factors and protective/preventive measures
Dealing with secondary trauma
Safety of informants and research assistants