16413: Power, Ethics, Creativity, and Self-care: Complexities in Field Research in Postcolonial Societies

Field researchers in postcolonial societies face five significant challenges: (a) Dealing with emergent power differentials reinscribed by the colonial regimes; (b) Reflexive engagement with participants with a keen awareness of the privileges of being a researcher; (c) Sensitive representation of the heterogeneous experiences of marginalized communities; (d) Improvising ways of uncovering marginalized narratives rooted in the unique and often intriguing social contexts; and (e) Prioritizing self-care to deal with the profound impact narratives of marginalized life histories have on researchers. This PDW emerges from the critical need to address the ethical, methodological, and structural complexities faced by researchers conducting qualitative field-based data collection in postcolonial societies. Rooted in postcolonial and decolonial perspectives, the workshop addresses the dangers of reproducing power inequalities within colonial narratives. Methodologically, the workshop is informed by ethical reflexivity to explore how researcher positionality, embodied experiences, local temporal rhythms, and postcolonial sensitivity shape field-based research. Simultaneously, it highlights the creative agency essential for navigating logistical and material constraints. By bridging these theoretical insights with practical strategies, this workshop seeks to advance a nuanced understanding of the potential of field-based research and ethnography as a site of resistance and reimagined knowledge production. Additionally, it underscores the importance of the researcher’s well-being in reshaping research praxis for the postcolonial world. In a participatory dialogical format and through case-based discussions, this workshop aims to equip participants with practical insights for navigating the complexities of postcolonial field research while fostering ethical and inclusive practices.