A Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Fieldwork. A Few Thoughts on Methodologies and Ethical Requirements

Abstract

Research in the fields of law, legal theory, and political philosophy seldom involves fieldwork activities aimed at the collection of data in local communities. Fieldwork methodologies, ethical requirements, and practical issues are often considered something each researcher needs to take care of, independently. This short piece is a pocket guide for «fieldwork hitchhikers», may they be early career researchers, PhD students, or whoever else approaches «the field». It does not have the intention to be comprehensive or groundbreaking. It is rather aimed at calling for more attention to the ethical requirements and research methodologies of fieldwork, as well as to the need to finetune them to the realities of the field while respecting the rights of local communities