Challenges of Conducting Disaster Research: The Case of the Sichuan Earthquake

Abstract

Few studies involve disaster fieldwork, not to mention fieldwork in China where disaster management has long been politicized. Drawing upon the authors' own experience with an action research project on community reconstruction after the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, this article discusses a number of challenges associated with conducting disaster fieldwork from the perspective of insider researchers. While the action research approach facilitated access to the field and benefited data collection, it created barriers such as research biases, role conflicts, and ethical dilemmas. This article particularly explores ethical concerns of conducting action research in the absence of independent review institutions.