
Fieldwork in Difficult Environments
Methodology as Boundary Work in Development Research
LIT (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published in May 2008
Book
Paperback/Softback
192 pages
978-3-8258-1282-9 (ISBN)
Description
Fieldwork in difficult environments - Methodology as boundary work in development research contains personal accounts of PhD researchers on doing field research in politically and otherwise difficult environments. The methodological flexibility required in development research is discussed around four themes: cultural difference; methodological style and the scale level of research; communication and interaction in collaborative research; and the political and ethical legitimacy of research. The volume argues that the choice and deployment of methodology is an ongoing, reflexive process of `boundary work'. It requires a flexible conceptual stance and related pragmatism as regards methodological philosophy and choice; it may require the design of specific boundary objects as evident for example in mapping techniques for participatory research, and it requires strategic shaping of the social relations of data collection.
More details
Series
Edition
1., Aufl.
Language
English
Place of publication
Hamburg
Germany
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 21 cm
Width: 14.7 cm
ISBN-13
978-3-8258-1282-9 (9783825812829)
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Caleb R.L. Wall graduated from ZEF with a PhD in 2006 and is a freelance consultant based in Italy consulting for ZEF Consult a.o. He currently works in Kazakhstan, Russia and increasingly in Eastern and Southern Africa. Peter P. Mollinga is Senior Researcher `Natural Resources and Social Dynamics' at ZEF since 2004. He works on water, politics and development, particularly in Asia.