On August 18, 2023, the Southasia Institute of Advanced Studies (SIAS) hosted another series of Future Himalayan Research Seminars on “Digital Ethnography during the Pandemic: A Methodological Turn.” Dr. Sanjay Sharma, shared insights into the lessons, experiences and challenges he faced during the COVID-19 pandemic while conducting field research for his PhD. Dr. Sharma highlighted the significance of social media, particularly setting up an Instagram account called “gurkhawomen” and other online platforms that played a pivotal role in gathering primary data in his research. The adoption of visual (e.g., Photos) and virtual tools (e.g., Zoom) proved to be valuable alternative ways for data collection during the pandemic. These approaches not only facilitated effective data collection but also foster engagement and establish close relationship with respondents that helped him to get deeper insights of the issue and maintain connections even beyond the completion of the research. Furthermore, he emphasized that digital ethnography, typically considered an alternative methodological approach, has the potential to become a mainstream method for conducting qualitative research not only during crises but also in normal times.
Following Dr. Sharma’s presentation, an interactive discussion took place. Participants shared their personal experiences and obstacles they encountered while conducting qualitative interviews and surveys with respondents. Discussion importantly pointed out the ethical considerations related to the collection of primary, both at an individual and institutional level. Methodological tools such as ‘Kuragraphy’ and ‘Fursad Ethnography,’ which were theorized in Nepalese context, were also discussed. Throughout the discussion, practical challenges faced by researchers during fieldwork were brought up, emphasizing the need for innovativeness in the methodological approaches. The participants agreed that the methodological adaptation is crucial depending on the context to overcoming various challenges. In conclusion, Dr. Sharma reiterated the significance of building human relationships rather than solely concentrating on data collection in social research.
