Empirical issues: Research in modern post-war zones

As the risks faced by researchers in modern post-war zones have increased, researchers face many hurdles, while putting themselves at the risk of significant harm. In addition to the overall risk management plan, further risk analysis needs to be carried out on an ongoing basis to accommodate the changing nature of the fieldwork context that could (in an instant) result in spikes in risk levels. As such, researchers are expected to be flexible with their risk management plan during fieldwork in order to access situations and make swift decisions in times of volatility.
In situations like those in post-war areas, there are very specific issues that researchers face. These may include militarization, intimidation, curtailed freedom of movement, restricted freedom of expression and negotiating complex power structures that researchers may find challenging. Further, some topics, such as politics, may not be up for discussion, due to tyranny or self-censorship by respondents. As a result, there are many responsibilities placed on researchers to communicate with supervisors and bring information forward. The partnership should be sufficiently capable and flexible to provide the best support and advice available. Supervisors, as the first point of contact during fieldwork, need to be open to this broader discussion, up to the point where, if it exceeds their own knowledge base, they are prepared to say so and consult external experts with specific knowledge. This will further help the ethics committee to fulfil their inherent responsibilities of providing overall oversight and due diligence during the life of the research project.