A Conflict Sensitive Approach to Field Research. Doing Any Better?

Conflict sensitivity is both about what we do and how we do it. For researchers this means it is both about the content of research and about the way research is being conceived and implemented (theory and methodology). The researcher and his/her research are always part of the local context, regardless of subject and methodology of the research. A conflict sensitive approach is relevant both for the impact of the research on the context and for the security of the persons involved in the research. The perception of research results as "critical" is not only dependent on their content but mainly on the way these results are being communicated and on their addressees. A conflict sensitive approach draws heavily on the capacity of researchers to adapt their behaviour, their activities and their communication about what they are doing to changing research environments. Conflict sensitivity makes researchers aware of their political position within the context of their research. This context includes both the “North” and the “South”. Being aware of and adapting to a particular (conflict) context entails contingencies and limitations for research. Researchers must decide what kinds of concessions or trade-offs they want to make.Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences (2017) A Conflict Sensitive Approach to Field Research – Doing Any Better? Swiss Academies Reports 12 (5