Reflections from Cross-Gender Fieldwork Experiences in Open Markets in Ghana

Emmanuel A Sowatey,Lucia K Hussey,Eunice Annan-Aggrey,Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong,Ama Pinkrah,Godwin Arku

doi:10.1177/16094069211053102

Abstract

Fieldwork can be an enjoyable academic adventure producing lifelong experiences of excitement and a sense of academic accomplishment. However, it can be an equally frustrating undertaking, especially when carried out in ‘unfamiliar’ environments. This paper adds to the growing number of studies about fieldworkers’ experiences by reflecting on the complexities involved in the process and proffering ways to respond to them. We share our perspectives as three adult African males conducting research in a predominantly female space in two informal markets in Accra, Ghana. To do this, we engage with five issues related to fieldwork: preparing to enter the field; negotiating access; handling interviews; dealing with ethical dilemmas; and exiting the field. We found that being male is not a barrier to conducting research in a predominantly female space. The success of our fieldwork was a product of our ability to adapt, be creative, appreciate our inadequacies, learn quickly and also take some practical and common-sense steps. Our hope is that the insights shared in this paper will serve as a compass for prospective fieldworkers.

Highlights

The goal of this paper is to highlight and add to the limited, but growing number of studies that share fieldworkers’ experiences by reflecting on the complexities involved in the process and suggesting ways to respond to them
Five major phases in the research into informal open markets in Ghana have engaged our attention in this paper, namely: (1) preparing to enter the field; (2) negotiating access; (3) observations and handling interviews; (4) dealing with ethical dilemmas; and (5) exiting the field
This article stems from two interrelated reasons: first, the desire to share our rich experience from a study on two informal open markets in Accra; and second, how we leveraged local knowledge to mitigate some of the pitfalls associated with field research

Summary

Introduction

The goal of this paper is to highlight and add to the limited, but growing number of studies that share fieldworkers’ experiences by reflecting on the complexities involved in the process and suggesting ways to respond to them. We wrote down our encounters, including, how we identified and approached potential research participants, non-verbal communications, tone, commentaries from passers-by, expectations after we had completed the interview and other fieldwork related experiences All these gave us great insights into these markets, our own reflexivity, and our findings. We noticed during our interviews in different locations in the market (e.g. stalls and roadside) that some questions which we deemed sensitive were not necessarily regarded that way by some of our participants and vice versa This means that adaptability in the field is essential. We know from our previous studies that researchers and participants must find ‘safe’ and suitable interview sites, primarily because this facilitates rich and ethically appropriate interviews (McDowell, 2001; Sin, 2003) In principle such advice is reasonable, we were concerned about adhering too strictly to it, which would have posed a significant challenge to our data collection. Participants/Maamuna: It is well things are not as brisk as before

I: How long have you worked with her?

Findings

Conclusion