“Unfortunately, I was not able to…”: Research under imperfect conditions, Part I

In her field note, “Fieldwork in Covid times,” Grierson Research Group member Ayesha Vemuri writes:

“We are faced with the challenge of redefining the field, rethinking our sites, and reconfiguring our methods. While in some cases this feels like an insurmountable and paralysing challenge, there is also a sense of the creative possibilities of working within externally imposed constraints, and for critically rethinking accepted practices of fieldwork as well.”

In October 2020, the Grierson Research Group held a studio session on adapting our research agendas and practices to unforeseen circumstances. We were reminded of several important things about the relationship between limitation and research:

· limitation is a condition of possibility for inquiry

· the nature of research is to be incomplete

· greater limitation than those we are now facing is a normal condition for many researchers

· limitations inform and shape (and don’t just inhibit) our research

· limitation is an invitation to creativity, and to rethink norms and expectations

With this in mind, we undertook the following exercises.

Exercise 1 (short-term adjustment)

1. How can I re-order the steps of my project in response to a temporarily disrupted timeline?

2. How are current conditions affecting the pace of my research work, and what strategies can I use to respond to this?

Exercise 2 (long-term adjustment)

1. Which materials (data, texts/artefacts, documents, sites, people, etc.) remain accessible to me, as anticipated?

2. Which materials might be accessible by alternative means?

3. Which materials are not accessible?

4. Which alternative materials relevant to my project might be accessible?

5. How does the un/availability of materials affect the research questions I can ask?

6. How does the un/availability of materials (and revised research questions) affect the methods I can/must use, and my responsibilities as a researcher?