Solving the difficulties

Until now I have realized that gifts play a role in making the relationship between a researcher and her/his informants stronger.

As I described my situation few weeks ago, after few times talking with me, my informants seemed not like to talk to me because they received nothing in return. Although some informants kept talking with me when I asked, many of them tried to run away. I have read an article saying that giving gifts can reinforce the relationship between the researcher and the informants. However, I could not find any chance to present them some small gifts. It would be very strange to give them some gifts without any special time. And giving gifts at the end of the fieldwork would be very late. I was puzzled.



Fortunately, my country's traditional New Year (Tet) is in the middle of our fieldwork period. Therefore, I used this occasion to "exchange the gifts". I collect information and giving gifts, my informants give information to me and receive my thanks. In that circle, of course, I receive more benefits. However, the point is to reinforce the relationship, and it works!




Few days before the New Year Eve, I visited my key informants' house, asking how they prepared for the Tet, observing their preparation and participating in some activities, such as wrapping sticky rice cakes or help to clean their house and so on. Before leaving, I presented them some small gifts with a reason of the New Year. They gladly received my gifts. Some of them gave me their food in return or asked me to join their dinner. I joined some and had a feeling that we became closer after the "gifts exchange".





Let me tell you about the situation in my field. My research area is in a place that are going to be cleared to build a overpass. The people living there are going to be relocated in a new place. They are struggling to request a higher compensation price by many ways, such as protesting against the executive decisions, demonstration and so on. It is now in the traditional New Year period, so all the activities are postponed. They said "we temporarily postpone the war for the sacred Tet holidays, after it we will continue the war at higher and more intensive levels!".

They agreed to let me join them when they are going to do that "rituals". I am very glad to participate in some of their rituals.












I hope that after the "gifts exchange" and the Tet, I will have more chances to study their collective action. I wish my informants succeed in expressing their opinions.

Shark!

Facing Difficulties

After almost one month, I have obtained some important contacts in the field. However, I am facing some difficulties, such as ethical issues, relationships and so on.

My research question is how local people perceive and react to state's relocation programmes in Hanoi. They are facing a great deal of hardship at both kinds of security: physical security and existential security. They are being forced to relocate to a new place with an amount of money. However, they think that the compensation rate is not fair and not high enough for them to relocate. They are struggling for a fairer and higher rate.

I have found that they have used a number of methods to express their aspirations, for example they used Newspapers, Television programs and Demonstrations as means to express. However, their efforts seem to be ignored by the local authority.

The main problem I am facing is that I am only a researcher, I can not help them to raise the compensation rate. When I first met them, they thought I was a cadre who was collecting their aspirations to report to the authority (although I made it clear that I am only a researcher from a research institute). But after few times talking with me, they realize that I am only a small cadre who is useless for them. They seem not to like to talk to me as much as the times before.
What can I do now? I think the only thing I can do is to be patient! Is it right?

The first ethical issue is that I am conducting fieldwork in their home area. I go to my informants' house and interview them. After few times, I have felt weird to do that, because I only interview them, collect their information, sit in their house, drink their tea without giving back to them anything. Do you also have that feeling? Have any suggestions?

The second ethical issue is that I am collecting information about their life and most of them are suffering from the relocation project. Some of them have asked me: What do you want from us? We are suffering from the project, our life is bad, very bad now. We only want to hide it but you come here and keep asking things. Why do you want to reveal our sufferings? I am puzzled when facing that kind of questions. Do you have any suggestion for me?

Anyhow, I have had some key informants who have provided me a great deal of information.
Hope it will be ok!

Good luck to you all!

Hoang Shark!