Open AccessCovid-19 and research in conflict-affected contexts: distanced methods and the digitalisation of suffering
Author(s) -
David Mwambari,
Andrea Purdeková,
Aymar Nyenyezi Bisoka
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
qualitative research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.285
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1741-3109
pISSN - 1468-7941
DOI - 10.1177/1468794121999014
Subject(s) - social distance , distancing , agency (philosophy) , qualitative research , sociology , covid-19 , public relations , social psychology , political science , social science , psychology , medicine , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
This research note explores the pressing ethical challenges associated with increased online platforming of sensitive research on conflict-affected settings since the onset of Covid-19. We argue that moving research online and the ‘digitalisation of suffering’ risks reducing complexity of social phenomena and omission of important aspects of lived experiences of violence or peace-building. Immersion, ‘contexting’ and trust-building are fundamental to research in repressive and/or conflict-affected settings and these are vitally eclipsed in online exchanges and platforms. ‘Distanced research’ thus bears very real epistemological limitations. Neither proximity not distance are in themselves liberating vectors. Nonetheless, we consider the opportunities that distancing offers in terms of its decolonial potential, principally in giving local researcher affiliates’ agency in the research process and building more equitable collaborations. This research note therefore aims to propose a series of questions and launch a debate amongst interested scholars, practitioners and other researchers working in qualitative research methods in the social sciences.