Anthology Editor:
- Neil Carr, University of Otago, New Zealand
There is a mini mountain of textbooks dedicated to research methods. They talk about how preparation is key to successful data collection. In the process they feed into the almost universal narrative that a successful data collection process will result in the gathering of a database that exactly matches what was planned. The impression that develops is that fieldwork must be perfect, that imperfections are failures, The result is seen in theses and methods sections in journal articles where no failures are apparent.
Consequently, the aim of this book (to be published by Taylor & Francis) is to provide readers with a window into the messiness of fieldwork. Through this window the book seeks to provide researchers with a more realistic perspective about fieldwork and to show how the unexpected can be turned into an advantage. Therefore, this is a call for contributions from those who want to share their fieldwork experiences, exploring how they differed from what was planned and how you learned through and overcame problems encountered. In this context, the reflexive narratives will explore what can be learned by others from unplanned happenings and the development of supportive structures while in the field. Authors are encouraged to talk honestly and candidly about the messy reality of their research experiences.
The narratives that contributors share will form the core of the book. They can encompass everything from the mini-crises and unexpected issues we all regularly face to major crises and unexpected issues. The narratives will be drawn from across the humanities and social sciences, encompassing early and not so early career researchers, and those reflecting on recent and not so recent experiences. They will encompass the globe, both in the settings of the authors’ research and the work environments in which they are based. This recognises the cross-disciplinarity and global nature of the issues central to this book.
The foci of narratives may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Surviving and thriving in the face of external disasters and problems – focusing on disasters and problems beyond researchers’ control.
- Surviving and thriving in the face of internal tensions, problems, confidence, concerns, issues – focuses on issues such as fear, insecurities, and personal wellbeing issues.
- Taking others into the field and leaving them behind: potentials and potential disasters and making it work
- Embracing and resisting change in the field: data led change, throwing away pre-fieldwork ideas and questions, or not
Reflexive narratives can range from as little as 1,000 words to 4,000 words. Anyone interested in contributing is asked to send me (neil.carr@otago.ac.nz) a 200 word abstract that outlines the nature of your proposed reflexive narrative by the 1st of August. Everyone will be informed of the outcome by the end of August. Drafts of narratives will then need to be submitted by the 1st of December.
