Nov 5th notes

Data Collection in Fieldwork

  • Importance of gaining access to field settings and interlocutors.

  • Trust is essential, guided by disciplinary ethics and cultural competency.

Sasquatch Instructions & Documentary Overview

  • Series focuses on the Emerald Triangle, Northern California's marijuana cultivation area.

  • Themes include local beliefs, colonial violence, and the criminalization of marijuana.

  • Encouragement to engage reflexively with the material and document findings under ethical considerations.

Key Points for Fieldwork

  • Gaining access involves obtaining community-level permissions and support, not just formal IRB approval.

  • The researcher should bring their whole self, maintaining transparency and authenticity to build rapport.

  • Successful engagement relies on interpersonal strategies, likability, and sensitivity to cultural norms.

Navigating Fieldwork Challenges

  • "Fieldwork failures" can yield valuable learning experiences; no data is ever truly lost in ethnography.

  • Different expectations exist in public vs. private settings; social interactions can be formal or informal.

  • Gatekeepers can influence access, either facilitating or obstructing research efforts.

Gatekeepers & Their Role

  • Gatekeepers may be community leaders with authority and influence.

  • It’s essential to identify both formal and informal gatekeepers relevant to the research topic.

Ethical Considerations in Interviews

  • Ensure informed consent; clarify research aims and expectations upfront.

  • Be prepared for potentially sensitive topics and the impact of societal stigma on research.

Reflexivity in Research Process

  • Researchers should reflect on their own comfort levels and social positioning relative to their topics.

  • Engage in preliminary interactions to build trust; participant observation can precede formal interviews.

Managing Research Expectations

  • Research proposals should outline timelines and commitments to interlocutors.

  • Ethnographic projects typically require extensive time for both research and analysis (often 1-2 years).

  • Approach topics with honesty and openness to the unique challenges they present.