The Boundaries of Research in an Authoritarian State
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Date
2019-09-16
Authors
Janenova, Saltanat
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Abstract
This article provides a reflective analysis of a local scholar on methodological challenges of conducting research in Kazakhstan — a post-Soviet, authoritarian, Central Asian country. It specifically addresses the problems of getting access to government officials and the quality of data, describes the strategies applied by the researcher to mitigate these obstacles, and discusses the impact of the political environment on decisions relating to the research design, ethical integrity, safety of participants and researchers, and publication dilemma. This article will be of interest both for researchers who are doing or planning to conduct research in Kazakhstan and Central Asia and those who are researching in nondemocratic contexts as methodological challenges of an authoritarian regime stretch beyond the geographical boundaries.
Description
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1609406919876469
Keywords
relational interview, focus group, Q method, authoritarian, Central Asia
Citation
Janenova, S. (2019). The Boundaries of Research in an Authoritarian State. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 18, 160940691987646. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919876469