• Conclusion. FIELDWORK IN ‘DIFFERENT ’ CULTURES: UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENCE AND SAMENESS

Cross-cultural research is the term used to describe researching ‘other ’ cultures using other languages. This may even work in distant places but can also include working with ‘other ’ communities closer to home. It requires a sensitivity to cultural similarities and differences, unequal power relations, fieldwork ethics, the practicalities and politics of language use, the position of the researcher and care in writing up the research. All these issues are explored in this chapter. The chapter is organized into the following sections: • Fieldwork in ‘different ’ cultures: understanding difference and sameness • Working with different languages • Working with difference, power relations and positionality • (Re)presenting ‘other ’ culture