Geographers, sociologists, political scientists, and anthropologists gathered yesterday to discuss “field research,” the theme of the latest collective work edited by political science professor Alexandre Pelletier, entitled Voix de terrain. The book brings together more than twenty texts on the unique experiences of researchers during their ethnographic data collection. From Mali to Indonesia, Brazil to Kosovo, Egypt to Vietnam, this collective project puts into words the complex realities of social science research.
With this book, Alexandre set out to fill a gap. Students learn how to write research proposals, conduct literature reviews, and use methods. However, they do not learn how to actually conduct field research. In fact, researchers tend to keep quiet about their real experiences in the field: plans that fall through, cancelled interviews, illness, injuries, doubts, etc. According to Alexandre, fieldwork is not just a method; it is a human experience for which researchers are rarely prepared.
The author believes that readers will learn four key lessons from this book. First, fieldwork is never stable. Changes in political regimes, the loss of access, the advent of a pandemic, physical fatigue, etc., mean that fieldwork is never predictable. The second lesson: neutrality is a fiction, and reflexivity becomes central. Gender, origin, language, class, and emotions all influence research as well as researchers. The third lesson: fieldwork is based on trust, which is built slowly, always remains fragile, and can disappear at any moment. The fourth and final lesson: fieldwork is changing in the digital age. Platforms simplify access to participants, but they create security risks for both participants and researchers by eliminating the boundaries between public and private.
The audience also had the opportunity to talk with three authors who shared their field experience and answered their questions. Vincent Boucher discussed the technical and psychological challenges of digital fieldwork. Benjamin Toubol recounted his experience in Iraqi Kurdistan to illustrate the concept of unstable fieldwork. Jean Michaud introduced the audience to the concept of gatekeepers, those various stakeholders who simply put obstacles in your way. Jean also presented the chapter by his partner, Sarah Turner, which opens, after several years, on the issues she experienced as a researcher in a male-dominated field.
Alexandre concluded the meeting by emphasizing that this book is not a methodology manual or a moral lesson. Rather, it is intended as a toolbox for anyone preparing to do fieldwork or wanting to enrich their research practice.
