Abstract
The need to generate evidence in spaces considered insecure and inhabited by potentially extremely vulnerable individuals (e.g. conflict-affected people who may not have means to move) has led researchers to study conflict-affected settings remotely. Increased attention to remote research approaches from social scientists, due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions, is sparking interest on appropriate methods and tools. Drawing on several years’ experience of remotely conducting qualitative research in Syria, we discuss challenges and approaches to conducting more inclusive, participatory, and meaningful research from a distance. The logistics, ethics, and politics of conducting research remotely are symptomatic of broader challenges in relation to the decolonisation of global and humanitarian health research. Key to the success of remote approaches is the quality of the relationships researchers need to be able to develop with study participants without face-to-face interactions and with limited engagement ‘in the field’. Particularly given overdue efforts to decolonise research institutions and methods, lead researchers should have a meaningful connection with the area in which they are conducting research. This is critical both to reduce chances that it will be extractive and exploitative and additionally for the quality of interpretation.
Highlights
Conducting rigorous qualitative research during conflict is necessary for generating greater contextual knowledge of humanitarian crises, including the health consequences of violence and how conflict-affected communities survive political, social, and economic destruction
The logistics, politics, and ethics of conducting research remotely are symptomatic of broader needs to decolonise global health and humanitarian studies. We offer to this debate lessons and reflections from five years of remote qualitative research in Syria
We acknowledge that remote research is not always the answer to researchers’ access constraints
Summary
Conducting rigorous qualitative research during conflict is necessary for generating greater contextual knowledge of humanitarian crises, including the health consequences of violence and how conflict-affected communities survive political, social, and economic destruction. The opportunities and challenges stemming from innovative approaches developed over time by local, indigenous, diaspora, and international researchers can inform the broader research community, currently facing unprecedented challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic in conducting face-to-face research [21, 22] Amongst these innovations, remote data collection methods – whether to complement ongoing studies or explore new research domains – are gaining academic attention. Five reflective criteria for assessing whether remote methods may be appropriate Five essential criteria are emerging from our work, which can be used to reflect on the appropriateness and feasibility of conducting remote research: (i) research question and objectives; (ii) target participants; (iii) data collection budget and timeframe; (iv) research ethics and (v) community engagement. We propose some methodological considerations for each of the five general research stages (i.e. study design and preparation, sampling and recruitment, informed consent, data collection, analysis and reporting), focusing on what may be different or useful when researching remotely, and using examples from remote qualitative interviewing in Syria
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