Gendering fieldwork: Who buys the coffee?

Abstract

AbstractThe examination of gender in fieldwork highlights a need to provide attention to possible problematic instances that may arise between women interviewers and men participants. Qualitative research identifies that women interviewing men find themselves continually navigating power imbalances while attempting to negotiate safe environments for themselves. Gender in fieldwork predominately focuses on differences between interviewer and interviewees, with little understanding of similarities that contribute to shaping the research environment and research outcomes. This article draws on PhD research and my experience as a cisgender woman PhD student conducting interviews with cisgender men to demonstrate the multiple meaningful ways interviews are constructed and negotiated, including how both interviewer and interviewees draw on sameness in the field. I argue that gendered behaviours are not always obvious and problematic, but rather can be subtle, fluid and work to support shared understandings of the research topic.