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Our methodological approach to research is qualitative in nature. Where quantitative methods are employed, these tend to still be drawn back into qualitative analysis. Hence, ‘facts’ are never treated as neutral but are affected by both who is asking the question and the process that is employed in its asking. Policies based on research derived from sets of questionnaires only run a great many risks, not least determining research findings that do not necessarily reflect the realities or ideas of the participants in whose name the research is being done. For our work in Timor-Leste we attempt to employ a range of methods at the same time, depending on the work that we are undertaking. Therefore questionnaires will be used at times but in tandem with other methods and always drawn back to into a qualitative framework of analysis.
In combination, the list of methods below is those generally used in what we refer to as an ‘ethnography of abstract community’. By this we are referring to our attempt to develop a methodology that helps us to understand how a community understands its relation to the nation. That is, rather than understanding a very localised community removed from other more abstract forms of community, we attempt to understand the interrelations between these different forms of community, and between communities of similar forms. Hence, this approach tries not for the traditional-anthropological approach of situating a person in relatively isolated communities for long periods of time.
Dili has become the centre of our activities so that we can learn to map the power, material-commodities and information flows from the capital out, in turn moving from the capital to various sites around Timor-Leste periodically to view the relationship back to the capital.
. Combined Questionnaires and Surveys
. Specifically-targeted Semi-structured Interviews
. Photo-narrative
. Community Mapping and Movement Flows
. Observational Data Collection
. Document Analysis
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Combined Questionnaires and Surveys
For instance, for the community sustainability and security project we use a combination of three questionnaires. One lead questionnaire is undertaken on an individual basis and relates to broad conceptions of community. Two shorter questionnaires are also delivered on a household-to-household basis, one about agriculture and one about perceptions of national political processes. These questionnaires are typically delivered through an interview format both due to the lack of literacy and because at times people in communities remain unfamiliar with such a research process.
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Specifically-targeted Semi-structured Interviews
We treat semi-structured interviews as a central tool in the data-collection process as they allow the participant a great deal of flexibility to answer and deviate—essentially increasing the agency of the participant in the research process. We find this serves as a good corrective opportunity for the researcher in relation to quantitative methods, and gives the participant much greater latitude to use their own voice through open-ended and semi-narrative form responses.
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Photo-narrative
This method entails giving a camera to a person and asking them to take a limited number of photos of places or things of significance to them within the community. This process is followed by a form of semi-structured interview which allows for a discussion of those photos. This method is used in that again it tries to give some level of agency to the participant, highlights local knowledge and subjective relations, and often allows for a discussion of matters (including places) that the researcher cannot access, or may not be aware of otherwise.
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Community Mapping and Movement Flows
We use temporal and spatial mapping—in essence working out who is doing what when and where. We are still developing these methods, but are seeking to understand how people move across a particular landscape, why and where. We utilise existing mapping, including aerial views of houses, GPS systems, stop-watches, as well as hand drawn maps and measuring wheels. These methods open up exciting possibilities such as getting a sense of gender differences in temporal and spatial relations.
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Observational Data Collection
This is an important technique that is almost always being employed while in Timor-Leste, for example observation of daily activities and political and cultural events. However we are very conscious of using this method in combination with others, as observation on its own does little to answer much and can too easily be a void in which a researcher puts all their preconceived ideas.
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Document Analysis
Often there is little in the way of documentation in regards to the specific communities in which we work, even in the case of Dili. However, by drawing on what we can from materials written in English, Tetun, Indonesian and Portuguese, we are able to draw together some levels of information that assist our research. For instance, maps and census figures, as well as reports on local development projects, along with anthropological accounts, are all regularly drawn upon.
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We intend in time to add research papers and more detailed analysis of our methods to this page.
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