Fieldwork Tips for Research in Central Asia: Safety and Ethics

When you enter to field to collect data for your dissertation or thesis, what are some basic safety precautions you need to consider? What does it mean to receive informed consent from individuals in a Tajikistani village? This short talk will delve into these and other related topics for you to consider as you prepare to enter the field.

Christopher Whitsel has been involved with education in Central Asia since 1999, including teaching English in Uzbekistan, conducting fieldwork in Tajikistan, and most recently working at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan. He has published several articles addressing education and inequality of access, including trends in inequality in the Soviet and Post-Soviet periods, gender differences, as other social inequalities in education. More specifically, his work highlights barriers that families face in sending their children to school and the ways that community differences constrain their decisions. In addition to his academic endeavors, Dr. Whitsel has worked with international organizations like UNICEF-Tajikistan and the Open Society Foundation on projects about education, as well as social aspects of poverty in Tajikistan.