The researcher and the researched: Navigating the challenges of research in conflict-affected environments

This article addresses the challenges of researching in conflict-affected environments, highlighting ethical and security concerns, methodological issues, and cultural sensitivity.

It provides strategies for trust-building, safety, and self-reflection to ensure ethical research outcomes.

This article by Gordon (2021) explores the heightened ethical concerns in social science research within conflict-affected environments, emphasizing the increased insecurity and vulnerability of participants. It identifies key challenges, including ethical and security issues, as well as often-overlooked epistemological and methodological difficulties, such as cultural differences, language barriers, and participant trauma. Gordon highlights that participants may use techniques to deter researchers, like projecting borrowed narratives or remaining silent. The article argues that addressing security and ethical challenges, power dynamics, and maintaining self-reflection can enhance the potential of research to challenge harmful narratives and contribute to better conflict and peacebuilding responses.

Key content

Key takeaways from the resource include:

Security challenges in conflict-affected environments

• Conflict-affected environments: Research in conflict-affected environments presents unique challenges due to heightened insecurity, the presence of armed actors, and a fragile rule of law. Researchers must navigate complex and dynamic situations to conduct effective fieldwork.
• Security risks: Researchers face significant security risks, including violence, kidnapping, and detention. Authorities and armed groups may be suspicious of outsiders, leading to potential threats to personal safety and data security.
• Conflict analysis: Conducting a conflict analysis before entering the field helps researchers understand the causes, dynamics, and actors involved in the conflict. This analysis is crucial for identifying potential risks and preparing an effective research plan.
• Security plan: A comprehensive security plan, based on conflict analysis, outlines actions to be taken in the event of security incidents. It should be regularly updated and tested to ensure preparedness for changing conditions.
• Research plan: The research plan should identify activities, behaviors, and topics that may provoke hostility. It must be adaptable to respond to evolving security situations and include strategies to minimize risks to researchers and participants.
• Adaptability: Researchers must remain flexible, ready to modify their plans in response to rapid changes in the security environment. This includes having contingency plans and being prepared for logistical challenges such as communication and transport issues.
• Other preparations and precautions: Researchers should register with their local embassy, check government travel advisories, and build relationships with knowledgeable local actors. Learning the local language and first aid, and carrying emergency supplies are also recommended.
• Where to go: Avoiding high-risk areas and times, such as during elections or demonstrations, is crucial. Researchers must balance the need for in-depth data with the imperative to stay safe, often relying on trusted local sources for security information.
• The value of research in conflict-affected environments: Despite the risks, research in conflict-affected environments is essential for understanding new social orders, power dynamics, and conflict narratives. It can contribute to peacebuilding by providing robust evidence and challenging harmful narratives.

Communication, censorship, and borrowed narratives

• Whom to speak with: Choosing research participants, gatekeepers, and others involved in the research must be done with caution. The wrong choice can expose individuals to risks or lead to biased data.
• What to talk about: Sensitive topics, such as sexual violence or organized crime, require careful handling to avoid provoking hostility or causing harm. Researchers must be aware of the political and cultural sensitivities of their topics.
• The unspoken: Silences and evasive responses can indicate fear or trauma. Researchers must be skilled in interpreting these non-verbal cues and understanding the reasons behind them, which often requires in-depth contextual knowledge.
• What to say: Understanding the cultural and political connotations of certain terms and behaviors is crucial. Researchers must avoid causing offense or misunderstanding by being culturally sensitive and well-prepared.
• Interpreters: Interpreters play a critical role but can also influence the research. Careful selection and clear expectations are necessary to maintain ethical standards and ensure accurate data collection.

Do No Harm

• Cultural specificity: Ethical principles like privacy and consent may be understood differently in various cultures. Researchers must ensure these principles are respected in ways that are meaningful within the local context.
• Informed consent: Obtaining informed consent in conflict-affected environments can be challenging, especially with traumatized participants. Researchers should use culturally appropriate methods and be flexible with consent procedures.
• Anonymity: Ensuring anonymity is crucial to protect participants, but some may wish to have their voices heard. Researchers must balance these needs carefully, often using pseudonyms and avoiding detailed personal data.
• Vulnerability and trauma: Research can retraumatize participants. Researchers should have plans for referring distressed participants to support services and should avoid probing into traumatic experiences without proper support mechanisms in place.
• Postfieldwork harm: Researchers must consider the potential risks to participants after the fieldwork is completed, including how the research outputs might impact them. Continuous protection of confidentiality and careful handling of sensitive information are necessary.
• Harm as a contested concept: What constitutes harm can vary. Researchers must navigate ethical dilemmas, especially when their work involves documenting human rights abuses or other sensitive issues.
• Researcher stress and vicarious trauma: Researchers can experience vicarious trauma from exposure to participants' distressing stories. They should practice self-care, seek support, and remain reflective about their emotional responses to maintain ethical standards.

Building trust and gaining access

• Demonstrating respect and developing knowledge: Building trust requires demonstrating respect, empathy, and knowledge of the local context. Researchers should engage with participants meaningfully and ethically.
• Distrust, fear, and disillusionment: Participants in conflict-affected environments may be distrustful and fearful. Researchers need to navigate these emotions carefully to build trust and facilitate effective data collection.
• Ways to build trust: Honesty, humility, and a commitment to the participants' well-being are essential for building trust. Researchers should also show that they understand and respect local norms and values.
• State authorities: Engagement with state authorities must be handled with care to avoid being perceived as biased or aligned with political agendas. Researchers should navigate these relationships tactfully.
• Gatekeepers: Gatekeepers can facilitate access but may also influence the research. Researchers should be cautious in their selection and maintain clear communication to avoid biases and ensure ethical standards.
• Power, positionality, and reflexivity: Researchers must remain aware of their own power and positionality, continuously reflecting on how these affect their interactions and data collection. Being self-reflective helps mitigate potential biases and ethical issues.

Conclusion

Conducting research in conflict-affected environments is fraught with challenges but is essential for advancing knowledge and contributing to peacebuilding. By carefully navigating security and ethical issues, building trust, and maintaining cultural sensitivity, researchers can produce meaningful and impactful research outcomes.