KWALON - Volume 27, Issue 3, 2022

Methods for qualitative remote research

The restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic brought together researchers from the Netherlands and India in the research project EQUIMOB to assess effects of the pandemic on social life. This paper describes the opportunities and limitations of methods for conducting remote research, and in additional papers we will discuss two examples of qualitative remote research (telephone interviews and graphic elicitation). Based on first-hand experience, the authors provide an overview of their work in using these methods.

Ethnograpic research in your ‘own setting’. Two opportunistic studies of stigmatization in the Netherlands.

In this article, the authors discuss their own experiences with doing opportunistic ethnography: doing participant observations in a familiar setting in which you are already an ordinary participant. On the one hand, they elaborate on the advantages, such as skipping the time-consuming and uncertain challenge of getting access and gaining trust. On the other, they discuss some risks involved with this ‘at-home’ ethnography, such as not seeing the taken for granted and going native, while presenting some field work solutions to these problems. They conclude that opportunistic ethnography only works in specific social contexts, demands a specific attitude from the researcher and should more often be applied. In this way that unique access to settings is taken advantage of and the ordinary of everyday life is not being ignored.

Ethics of participatory action research

Participatory action research, (extreme) citizen science, living labs or other forms of research with patients or citizen participation continues to grow in popularity. While these research approaches embrace inclusiveness, social justice, and co-ownership, they are not necessarily “ethical”. Ethical issues regularly arise in everyday practice, surrounding partnership, collaboration and power. My PhD made me aware that researchers who conduct participatory research should be mindful of the daily ethical considerations and attention to do the “right” thing. Reflection on dilemmas (together with co-researchers) helps raise awareness and provides direction for appropriate actions.