Presentation Information
[1L12]Accompanied Fieldwork and Positionality: Engaging with Ecuadorian Society and Women in the Context of International Cooperation Research
*Kumiko KAWACHI1 (1. Yokohama National University)
Keywords:
Fieldwork,Positionality,Gender Issues,Reflexivity,Ecuador
This presentation reflects on how the researcher's positionality as a parent conducting fieldwork with a child influenced the field research, based on the presenter’s own experience conducting accompanied fieldwork.
Among researchers conducting investigations far from their homes, both abroad and domestically. There have been instances of fieldwork undertaken alongside partners and children, particularly among Western scholars. However, scholarly articles and publications by such researchers rarely address concretely how the presence of partners or children influenced the research process. Since the 1980s, there has been a growing recognition of the need for more detailed analysis and description regarding the influence of accompanying family members on the formation and construction of ethnographies, as well as the impact of fieldwork activities on the lives of family members remaining at home among small numbers of female scholars (Mari et al., 2016). From the late 2000s onwards, increasing attention has been paid to the work-life balance of female researchers (e.g., Armeni, 2004; Naka and Kubokawairi, 2014), and in the 2010s, discussions expanded around keywords such as “mother,” “spouse,” “family,” and “child,” focusing on the experiences of women conducting fieldwork accompanied by family and the effects of family presence on research methods and outcomes (e.g., Shiino and Matoba, 2016).
The presenter's fieldwork site is Ecuador in South America, where previous research was conducted under the positionality of an Asian, small-statured Japanese (or student) female researcher. However, in this instance, the presenter explicitly acknowledged her positionality as a mother accompanied by a child, openly embracing this role during the research. This new positionality disclosure is believed to have had multifaceted effects on relationship-building within the field. On the other hand, it also introduced constraints such as time limitations and difficulties in visiting certain research sites.
Among researchers conducting investigations far from their homes, both abroad and domestically. There have been instances of fieldwork undertaken alongside partners and children, particularly among Western scholars. However, scholarly articles and publications by such researchers rarely address concretely how the presence of partners or children influenced the research process. Since the 1980s, there has been a growing recognition of the need for more detailed analysis and description regarding the influence of accompanying family members on the formation and construction of ethnographies, as well as the impact of fieldwork activities on the lives of family members remaining at home among small numbers of female scholars (Mari et al., 2016). From the late 2000s onwards, increasing attention has been paid to the work-life balance of female researchers (e.g., Armeni, 2004; Naka and Kubokawairi, 2014), and in the 2010s, discussions expanded around keywords such as “mother,” “spouse,” “family,” and “child,” focusing on the experiences of women conducting fieldwork accompanied by family and the effects of family presence on research methods and outcomes (e.g., Shiino and Matoba, 2016).
The presenter's fieldwork site is Ecuador in South America, where previous research was conducted under the positionality of an Asian, small-statured Japanese (or student) female researcher. However, in this instance, the presenter explicitly acknowledged her positionality as a mother accompanied by a child, openly embracing this role during the research. This new positionality disclosure is believed to have had multifaceted effects on relationship-building within the field. On the other hand, it also introduced constraints such as time limitations and difficulties in visiting certain research sites.
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