Perspectives on Positionality: Differing Approaches to the Ethnography of NGOs in International Development
2022; Volume: 15; Issue: 1-2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/cla.2022.a936636
ISSN2152-4009
AutoresSara E. Fischer, Mirriam Banda, Sandra Kuntembwe Ngombende,
Tópico(s)Tourism, Volunteerism, and Development
ResumoAbstract: This article highlights ethnography as a method for mapping interactions between NGOs and host-country governments, civil servants, and citizens. However, data can differ drastically in terms of access, transparency, and quality depending on the researcher’s positionality. Using examples from our work in Malawi, we demonstrate trade-offs for the researcher based on the approach taken, whereby certain types of data are accessed while others remain unseen. We argue that researcher positionality has implications for data collection and theory-building exercises and can significantly alter research findings, making it a crucial consideration in the design and implementation of ethnographic research in international development.
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