Description
The aim of this paper is to introduce the uninitiated to the challenges of qualitative research and to provide an outline of best practice for those interested in conducting fieldwork on forced migration. While there is much that can be learned from non-law disciplines in carrying out empirical research, embarking on qualitative research can be daunting for many new to the methodology, and, perhaps, especially for academic lawyers. The paper will draw on the presentations of all panellists, together with the presenter’s own fieldwork on refugee policy in Jordan and the experiences of other socio-legal scholars working on forced migration. It provides an overview of the many factors that can impact qualitative research, some of which have been discussed by the panellists–inter alia, personal, gender, emotional, access challenges, legal, political, contextual, ethical, and power dynamics. It moves on to provide suggestions on how to anticipate possible challenges through careful and effective project design, and how to prepare for the many issues that can arise through skill development and training.
