Stories from the Field: A Guide to Navigating Fieldwork in Political Science

by Peter Krause (editor), Ora Szekely (Contributor)

"Known as a field of quantitative measurement and theoretical debate, political science is also a field where researchers draw increasingly on in-person fieldwork. This book presents a collection of 35 field research stories from scholars of political science from a range of subfields, ranks, and specializations in a readable and relatable guidebook for fieldwork in political science. Each story will be accompanied by reflections from the author on the key lesson that he or he took from his/her experience. Organized around a number of methodological topics, this book will complement existing methods textbooks in that it will provide practical (and entertaining) illustrations of a range of concepts, from specific research methods, such as conducting interviews and surveys, to broader topics, such as research ethics and personal safety. What really makes this book stand out is that it will be a collection of real, personal stories from working political scientists: some funny, some dramatic, all fascinating and informative. This book will be an essential resource for PhD students learning about research methods as well as an important go-to reference for political scientists as they develop new field research plans and projects"--

ebook

Published June 30, 2020

Reviews

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, even to someone who hasn't studied political science. This volume is loaded with information and hints for researchers and travelers. Most of them present their treasures in an approachable style, as you would find in a pub after a hard day's field work. A few are unable to write in anything but academic-ese, but all the contributors step away from their approval-driven controlled speech to tell the information field researchers need to know.