Field Research in Political Science

Field research - leaving one''s home institution in order to acquire data information or insights that significantly inform one''s research - remains indispensable even in a digitally networked era. This book the first of its kind in political science reconsiders the design and execution of field research and explores its role in producing knowledge. First it offers an empirical overview of fieldwork in the discipline based on a large-scale survey and extensive interviews. Good fieldwork takes diverse forms yet follows a set of common practices and principles. Second the book demonstrates the analytic benefits of fieldwork showing how it contributes to our understanding of politics. Finally it provides intellectual and practical guidance with chapters on preparing for field research operating in the field and making analytic progress while collecting data and on data collection techniques including archival research interviewing ethnography and participant observation surveys and field experiments.