Dealing with dangerous situations in the field once they have arisen is not enough – the University also needs to have clear guidelines to prevent security problems.
That is according to Rachel Irwin, an anthropologist currently working as a researcher at the Division of Ethnology. Her own discipline often involves fieldwork. It is well known that fieldwork is synonymous with potential security risks. Yet she feels that not enough is said about their existence and how they can be prevented.
“Of course people talk about what has happened out in the field, but it’s more likely to be during a coffee break than as part of doctoral education. Perhaps this means that researchers at Lund University haven’t had that many bad experiences, but that doesn’t mean they won’t in future,” she says.
Risks are seldom discussed
During the spring, within the framework of a course in teaching development, she conducted a study that involved interviewing nine people. All had links to doctoral education at a faculty where ethnographic methods are used. One of her conclusions was that questions of risk and security are seldom discussed during doctoral studies. She wants this to change, as she recently expressed in an opinion piece in Curie magazine:
“These important questions can be integrated into existing doctoral courses about methods or ethics. Better still, they could also form the basis of a new course that offers the chance to reflect upon potential risks associated with field studies.”
Difficult to raise the question
If the questions are not discussed, there is a risk that doctoral students and researchers don’t dare to raise them either, Irwin argues.
“Of course cultures differ between different divisions and departments, but there are many who are in precarious employment. Some might feel that they need to carry out the research they have promised to do regardless of whether it means taking risks, because they might stand to lose their job otherwise,” says Irwin.
Research funders should also take responsibility, she feels.
“They should be understanding of the fact that the security situation can change quickly. For example, it is probably not possible to do research in Palestine right now. The funder should then say that it’s ok to move the research.”
So do the faculties:
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES:
Checklist on faculty level
Agnes Andersson is the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. She refers to a checklist that heads of department in the faculty are to take into consideration when international research collaboration will be undertaken. This in turn should be seen as a complement to the central checklist and the webpages about responsible global engagement found on the Staff Pages.
Beyond that, responsibility lies at departmental level. Agnes Andersson underlines the importance of local knowledge.
“The risk assessment happens at departmental level and requires good knowledge about the country and often the specific region where the fieldwork is to be conducted. Conditions vary greatly between geographical areas and also depend on the type of study to be carried out. Departments work with established contacts and partners at local universities. Formalised collaborations with the latter is required in order to apply for ethical approval.”
FACULTY OF SCIENCE:
The departments are responsible
At the Faculty of Science it is the department, usually the head of department, that is responsible for making sure that people going into the field receive training and conduct risk analyses.
Ragnhild Möller is a work environment coordinator at the Faculty of Science and along with Anna Maria Jönsson, head of the Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science (INES), she has reviewed training and procedures ahead of fieldwork in that particular department.
“The work led to initiatives like a course that is available in Canvas that all employees at INES must take,” she explains.
The head of department, teaching staff members and health and safety representatives have collaborated to produce a document describing the procedures around training on serious risks ahead of fieldwork and excursions at the department. There is also a form for risk and security assessment that is to be used by both employees and students ahead of field trips.
FACULTY OF MEDICINE:
All preparations managed by the research team
At the Faculty of Medicine there are a couple of research teams conducting research in both Sweden and Africa. Per Björkman is a professor of clinical infection medicine and head of a research team that has run projects in Ethiopia since 2010. He explains that all preparations ahead of a field trip are managed within the research team.
“Since neither the faculty nor the department have detailed knowledge of the situation in the field, these preparations are undertaken within the research team, where there is great expertise and experience about what kind of potential risks might exist and how they can be managed. The same applies to advice from local colleagues. It is almost impossible to organise any meaningful security training at LU to prepare for this, given the disparate and varied situations in different countries.”
Once the researcher or doctoral student is out in the field, they have regular contact with their principal supervisor and other researchers as well as with local colleagues, says Björkman. Afterwards too, the support and debriefing offered to the researcher come mainly from within the research team.
