Fieldwork in International Development Contexts
Postgraduate Training Suite 5th Floor, Daysh Building, Newcastle University
Friday 7th February 2014
9:00 Registration
9.15 Introduction
Session 1: Where and What is the Field? (9:30–10:30)
This session starts the workshop off by focusing attention on thinking through why fieldwork is necessary, what
constitutes the field as well as how and when planning to enter the field needs to take place. Much research on
development topics requires researchers to do work ‘at home’. For many international scholars ‘the field’ may well
be the country they grew up in and one to which they ‘return’ to do fieldwork. For others doing research on
development may well involve no overseas fieldwork at all. The session provides a check list of practicalities to
consider prior to starting fieldwork (including bureaucratic requirements; visas; vaccinations; risk assessments;
cultural considerations; and safety for lone researchers) and encourages participants to consider the makeup of
their own ‘field’
Speakers:
 Starting to think about fieldwork Suzanne Speak (School of Architecture and Planning, Newcastle
University)
 What counts as development research? Development fieldwork in the UK Matt Baillie Smith (Department
of Social Sciences, Northumbria University)
 Practicalities (1) Nina Laurie (School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University)
Activity: Where is your field?
Coffee 10.30 -11.00
Session 2: Access, Ethics, Methods and Collaboration (1) 11.00 – 12.30
This session will cover procedures for ethical approval; gaining entry and access (to information, research sites,
communities and subjects); collecting sensitive information and the social relationships of field research. It also
addresses issues of responsibility when analysing, presenting and writing up work involving vulnerable people
and/or in potentially difficult/dangerous situations. The session explores examples of recent fieldwork in Brazil,
South Africa, Syria, and Pakistan.
Speakers:
 Practicalities (2) Nina Laurie (School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University)
 The challenges of ethical research with partner organisations and marginalised workers in South Africa.
Cheryl McEwan (Geography Department, Durham University)
 My PhD journey: a story of pain and hope Balsam Ahmad (Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle
University)
Lunch 12.30 -1.30 (not provided)
(During the lunchtime slot there will be an optional informal women only session to discuss the issues
that affect women in fieldwork)
Session 3: Access, Ethics, Methods and Collaboration (2) 1.30 – 4.00
Speakers:
 Arezu Bari (School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University)
o Mixed methods fieldwork (at home) in Pakistan
o (Re)Planning the project when you don't know what you don't know!
o Ethics and Privacy (Adapting to local contexts)
o Translating Language and Culture (Even if you think you are a "native")

Contested terms? Putting ethics into practice, the case of researching ‘Slave Labour’ Siobhan McGrath,
(Geography Department, Durham University).
Activity: Post Card From the Field
Supervisors tips and Q and A (Chair Arezu Bari)
This will involve a supervisor panel Q&A session including brief presentations of top tips from supervisors who
have successfully supervised students doing international fieldwork on development topics.
Panel Members:
 Matt Baillie Smith (Department of Social Sciences, Northumbria University)
 Peter Kellett (School of Architecture and Planning, Newcastle University)
 Nina Laurie (School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University)