Dr. Thomas Hoebel
Conducting research in conflictual fields can be challenging both in terms of research practice and research ethics. Researchers may suddenly find themselves in conflict dynamics or even be perceived as a party to the conflict. Particularly in empirical work, researchers can therefore be confronted with specific challenges that raise fundamental questions about how to deal with them methodically and theoretically. With the Research in Conflict working group, we want to create an interdisciplinary framework that offers space for dialogue, exchange and (methodological) reflection for empirical/ethnographic researchers in conflictual fields. We understand the working group as an open format for reflection on evident problems in the context of current research projects and processes with regard to research ethics, research practice and research tactics. Topics can include, for example, questions about field approaches, the attitude of researchers in the field or interaction with actors involved in research, as well as ethical or (data-)security-related challenges.
The working group meets in two formats: On the one hand, there are (digital) ad-hoc meetings on current problems in empirical research. On the other hand, we organise (face-to-face) workshops in which we focus on individual topics.
The working group is organised by researchers from Leuphana University Lüneburg, University of Hamburg, Hamburg Institute for Social Research and Bielefeld University. It is open to empirical researchers of all qualification levels with or without the university affiliations.