Abstract
Doing fieldwork is probably the most rewarding task for researchers in
spite of the risks that are involved. However, at the best of times,
this can still be a daunting task for researchers despite careful
planning and the fact that they have some risk awareness and prior
experience. This paper considers the risks to researchers of working in
modern post-war zones, where the risks faced by researchers can be
significant.
This paper first outlines the nature of the partnership between
researchers, principal investigators/supervisors and university ethics
committees, noting, in particular, the boundaries of responsibility
within this partnership and how the lead role in this responsibility
relationship shifts over time from institutions to the individual
researcher. Second, it recounts and reflects upon the experiences of the
researcher on working in a post-war zone in Northern Province, Sri Lanka
in 2015, following the war in which officially ended in May 2009.
Various effects of the war were still evident, which required careful
management by the researcher. Finally, the paper seeks to draw out the
positive learning from these insights and experiences, offering some
constructive suggestions for the management of responsibility and risk
for research in post-war situations.