The following notes are based on training and personal experience received whilst working with humanitarian and human rights organizations, particularly in Africa. This short document is only intended to be an introductory guide and does not claim to cover all possible situations. It is strongly recommended that researchers read the supplementary documents supplied and conduct their own research and preparation for fieldwork, which should include talking to local contacts, NGO workers, and other knowledgeable persons about their own experiences and codes of practice for personal safety and the ethics of research. Researchers, and the organizations that they work for, are responsible for their own safety. The author is not legally liable for any mental or physical injuries arising from the use of the methodologies described below, or for any omissions in these notes.
Key Principles
The personal safety of researchers, informants, and anyone else involved in the research (e.g. local contacts, drivers, translators) is top priority.
Confidentiality of the informant’s identities, and the research data collected, is of utmost importance and is often essential for their personal safety.
The researcher’s key tool for ensuring the safety of those involved in the research is knowledge of the local area (conflict history, geography, politics, security issues, personalities of local leaders, etc)
Researchers should trust their instincts, and the research institution should support them in this. If their instincts tell them that conducting research is risky, they should leave the area, whether or not any data has been collected.
Full disclosure of research methods, objectives, and expected outcomes, should be made to informants and others directly affected by the research.
Preparation for Research
Get to know the fieldwork area before arriving. Talk to people who have lived there, study maps, read books and research reports. Plan the routes that will be used to travel around and find out about local hotels and towns where the research team might lodge. Read local newspapers if possible. Pay particular attention to security issues, which will include ‘ordinary’ crime such as robberies, rapes, car-jackings, etc. Identify any particular areas where security seems poor and avoid these during the research. Identify several ‘exit routes’ in case security deteriorates in the area during the research period.
Develop a Plan B for the research. If research is difficult because of logistical, political, or other reasons, it may be necessary to change tactics. This could involve, for example, interviewing only key informants, rather than local farmers, or changing the research location.
Develop an ‘emergency plan’. In case of direct security risks, plan for how to leave the immediate area, and seek protection and medical services. Know where police stations and hospitals are located. Know exactly who you will rely upon to help you (i.e. a key local contact).
Find out where research has already been conducted by other organizations. This will help to avoid duplication, “research fatigue” in informants, and will provide some security information.
Do as much research from secondary sources as possible. This will save time and avoid duplication. It also minimizes the risk of “research fatigue” in informants. They will respond better if you seem well-informed and interested in their area and their problems.
Be aware of how you will be perceived locally. This has different dimensions – sex, socio-economic, ethnic, political. If you are likely to be identified as an ‘enemy’ because of such issues, don’t do the fieldwork. If you think there is little risk, consider how you can further minimise risk, for example by only speaking a particular language, or remaining in urban areas, not rural zones.
Prepare question checklists in advance and test them out before arriving. Run through ‘trial interviews’ with fellow researchers and friends. Conduct interviews with people originating from the area, and ask them for feedback about the questions. Prepare some questions which have little relevance to the research – perhaps on harvests, food security, local crop types – which will make the research seem less sensitive, and be prepared to ask these questions if things become tense or if people become suspicious. Interviews should not last more than one hour, to avoid fatigue.
Agree on a policy on ‘transport costs’. Often, informants will ask for some monetary payment in return for the time they have spent in the interview process. You should decide upfront what to do in this case. Generally, it is better not to offer any payment, as this may be seen as prejudicing results. However, you may decide to pay for local transport costs, for example when research has been conducted away from their homes.
Prepare a short overview presentation of the research, which explains a) what your organization is and what it does, b) what the particular research is about, c) the objectives of that research, and d) how the research results will be used, particularly the individual interview results.
Identify key informants, geographical areas of research, demographic categories (i.e. age, gender, socio-economic status of informants). ‘Gatekeepers’ should also be identified. These are people who have some kind of power locally and who represent a necessary step towards accessing informants. Gatekeepers themselves may not be useful informants, because they may have a vested interest in the results. Local administrators, or local ‘opinion leaders’, are typical gatekeepers. They will often take it upon themselves to interrogate researchers about their activities and intentions. It is important to be truthful with these ‘gatekeepers’ – especially if they are administrators and have legal powers to block your research (i.e. if they think it may undermine local security). However, the presentation of the research for the gatekeepers could emphasise issues which less controversial.
During the research
Inform your organization, relatives and friends about the areas you will be visiting and your schedule. Keep in regular contact with your organization and any local friends or relations by cellphone. Establish a system for regular ‘check-ins’, at least once per day, and have a back-up plan which will come into operation if contact is not made at the agreed time. For example, if there is no reply from the cellphone, staff from your organization or friends should call local contacts to verify your whereabouts. If there is still no news, police should be called.
To the extent possible, follow local protocol. Present your permit to the local authorities, inform the local leaders about your work (but see note above on ‘gatekeepers’). Be polite.
Discuss local security issues with local people during the course of the fieldwork. Observe whether children are playing outside, whether women are present in the markets. If not, this may signify that security is poor.
Do not remain ‘on the road’ at night. Be back at the hotel by dusk, even if this means cutting off the last interview prematurely.
Dress to match the surroundings. Dress simply if you’re in the countryside, avoid wearing jewellery, etc.
Transport should be practical but not too ‘obvious’. If you can, avoid driving around in a giant 4x4 vehicle. Avoid drawing attention to the research. Do as much travelling locally on foot or bicycle but remember that security is top priority – have a vehicle fuelled and ready to get out of the area fast, if necessary.
Identify some informants at random. Key informants can be identified through contacts, but some random interviews are useful to cross-check facts and opinions.
Consider where the interviews will take place. If security is an issue in rural areas, consider how rural people can be interviewed in towns – i.e. talk to local farmers on market day. Some interviews might be conducted in a quiet corner of a local restaurant, whilst others could take place in the research vehicle. Be aware of the researcher’s personal security – avoid putting yourself into a situation where you could be harmed by an informant.
Talk to informants as equals. Reassure them by asking about their family, children, farm, etc. While it may be necessary to use straightforward vocabulary to ensure that communication is easy, avoid ‘talking down’.
Discuss issues of confidentiality with informants. As mentioned above, it is important that informants know exactly why they are being asked these questions, and how the results will be used. Usually, it is best not to cite the names of informants in published research. However, it may be best to take the names – at least first names – of informants, as well as their age, gender, home address, and occupation. This information should be kept safe – hidden, if necessary, during the fieldwork – and you should be clear that nothing will be published in the report that could identify an informant. For example, if there is only one 90-year old woman living in a particular village, you would not mention that woman’s age in the publication. It is usually best to keep the names of informants separately from the interview notes – just use numbers on the notes to identify them.
Start with easy questions to reassure the informants. Ask basic questions which are not sensitive– but avoid giving the impression that you know little about the situation!
Mix particularly sensitive issues with less sensitive issues during the interview. If you see the informant becoming uncomfortable, ‘back off’ and ask less difficult questions. End the interview on a more pleasant, relaxing note, to reassure them. Ask most of the most sensitive questions in the middle of the interview.
Keep notes safe during the fieldwork period. Confidentiality is very important. Find a way to avoid giving research notes to local authorities, opinion-leaders and others, even if they ask.
If people are suspicious or hostile about your research, be polite, make yourself seem “harmless”. Don’t act like you know very much. Ask very innocent questions. Be polite, try to lighten the atmosphere. Then leave the area, without making it obvious that you’re in a hurry.
Relax in the evenings. During fieldwork, there is intense pressure to get as much data as possible. However, some time should be taken to relax in the evenings. It is important to monitor your emotional state, particularly if you have been exposed to disturbing, distressing research findings. If you feel emotionally upset, consider taking a break in the fieldwork. Emotional stress is dangerous in numerous ways, especially as it may limit your ability to accurately assess risk.
After the research
Do the analysis as soon as possible. It may become clear during the analysis that more fieldwork needs to be done. Better to realise this earlier than later in the project cycle.
Continue to pay attention to your own emotions. It is important to ‘de-stress’ and to avoid becoming very emotionally attached to the topic being researched. Take a break from the work if necessary.
Find ways to involve informants in discussing and analyzing the research findings. This might involve a ‘consultative session’ with key informants, and/or ensuring that local community groups receive copies of the findings and details how they can respond with comments. For confidentiality reasons, it may not b e possible to directly involve local informants in data analysis, but they may be able to give their opinions through local community groups.
Some key documents to read
Scott D. Meyer. “From Horror Story to Manageable Risk: Formulating Safety Strategies for Peace Researchers”
David Lloyd Roberts. “Staying Alive: Safety and Security Guidelines for Humanitarian Volunteers in Conflict Areas”.
Jeanne Ward. “Conducting population-based research on gender-based violence in conflict-affected settings: An overview of a multi-country research project”
Chris Huggins
Posts
