Field Research

Conducting fieldwork in the profession of political science has become increasingly common. Yet, there is minimal systematic information about the logistical, physical, psychological, and ethical challenges of conducting field research, and the challenges of obtaining quantitative data from fieldwork. Moreover, we believe that there might be particular gendered differences in these answers. How do challenges (and opportunities) faced during fieldwork vary by sex? Using a survey to all assistant, associate, and full professors in international relations and comparative politics from the top 60 R1 universities and top 25 liberal arts colleges in the United States, we find that women are more likely to conduct field research, and that their are certain gendered benefits and setbacks that women face, compared to men. We explore these in-depth. The results from our study can be used to help graduate students better prepare for the challenges of doing fieldwork, and address important and ongoing debates in political science about the ethics and logistics of transparency, especially in field experiments, as well as issues around conflict of interest.