XIX ISA World Congress of Sociology (July 15-21, 2018)

609

Doing Fieldwork in Challenging Contexts

RC33 Logic and Methodology in Sociology (host committee)

Language: English

This panel aims to foster a discussion on the methodological experiences and theoretical insights of doing fieldwork in various geographies and cultures, often in contexts of rapid and continuous social and political change. While the wide range of challenges in fieldwork, both in terms of practice and theory, have been well addressed in the literature, in this panel, we particularly welcome a focus on intersectionality of gender and age of the researchers; and its impacts on fieldwork.. This panel takes an intersectional lens to address three overlapping methodological issues: power relationships in the field; the role of the researcher and informants; and ethical dilemmas that arise in the field. How do power relationships intersect with gender and age at all levels of ethnographic research? How do identity issues play out in field research? How are these concepts negotiated in everyday fieldwork settings by the researcher and informants? How do these methodological challenges play out in different social settings within various contexts? What are the implications of these ‘glocal’ ethnographic experiences in creating methodological innovations?