Category: Field notes
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We Live in a State of Fear: Eritrean refugees keep bearing the brunt of the Ethiopian crisis
For Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia, the situation has changed drastically with the armed conflict between the central government and Tigray state that broke out on 4 November 2020. They have endured attacks and abuses from both sides, and have find little protection in the designated refugee camps. Some camps closest to the Eritrean border have…
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Multi-Focal Power in Refugee Research
Sudanese asylum seekers first began coming to Israel in significant numbers in 2005, the numbers increasing until Israel sealed its border in early 2013. The vast majority of asylum seekers are men, arriving at a relatively young age. Based on her experiences working with, and conducting research about, Sudanese asylum seekers in Israel, Lisa Richlen…
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From Campus to Camp and Back
In this field note, Marcia C. Schenck reflects on her ongoing involvement with Princeton University’s Global History Lab courses in Kakuma refugee camp. Through courses in global history, she argues, camp residents are not only given access to academic knowledge but also empowered to produce compelling historic narratives by using their location advantage; migration experience;…
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Wayside promise: Ghanaian roads as routes to brighter futures
Ethnographic fieldwork requires not only long-term immersion, but also perceptiveness to the minutiae of the mundane. Walking, running, and driving along the roads of a Ghanaian city inspired me to rethink the meaning of migration. Jørgen Carling reflects on his recent fieldwork in Ghana.
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Between Dejection and Awe: Reflections on Research with African Refugees
Conducting research with informants who have experienced the trials of forced displacement may leave the researcher crippled by the apparent hopelessness of her interlocutors, combined with the sense of helplessness in not being able to contribute to their plight in a meaningful and ethical way. Rose Jaji looks back on her experiences, conducting research with…
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Researching (with) refugees? Ethical considerations on participatory approaches
In lieu of perceiving refugees as ‘data sources’, research with refugees and thus participatory approaches not only transform refugees’ positions to active participants, but can also further the scope of findings – by Ulrike Krause
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Researching migrant arrivals, births and burials across the Mediterranean
In times of important life changes, such as the birth of a child or the loss of a loved one, the need for the support and companionship of others is essential. For migrants, this is rarely possible – by Sine Plambech