Gender and Fieldwork: Barriers to Investigation for a Female Researcher

Abstract

This article details the difficulties and barriers to investigation in a particular context. It analyses general issues, research ethics issues and personal safety which the researcher faced during an ethnographic study. It outlines those issues which are common and acceptable in a particular society, but which however create hurdles for a female ethnographer. This article questions the workability and suitability of a supporting letter from a foreign university and the problems of research ethics’ application in a different setting. It also identifies some of the many issues in the field for which there are no guidelines for a researcher, so that one has to adapt according to the situation. It is suggested that university research ethics protocols need to be adapted in different research settings and cannot be applied unquestioningly as they are designed in different foreign settings. It is also suggested that more female researchers and ethnographers should share their experiences as one means of contributing to the success of other female researchers.