If there is one general lesson we can learn from the chapters in this book, it is certainly this one: there is neither a recipe for ‘good’ or ‘successful’ fieldwork, nor can we prepare for all eventualities of what might happen when conducting intervention-related fieldwork in violent or illiberal contexts. While all types of research, fieldwork-based or not, confront us with questions of ethics or risk in one way or another, violent and closed contexts throw them into much sharper relief. This is because the potential negative consequences of researchers’ mistakes may be particularly severe. Putting forward guidelines is therefore not only impossible given some of the unsolvable dilemmas discussed, but it would also be irresponsible to give the impression that if the researcher only followed a ‘ten commandments of fieldwork’-type list, they would be properly prepared for hassle-and risk-free, ethical data collection/generation and able to leave their field with a good conscience to write up their outputs ‘at home’.

Research reality in violent and closed contexts is complicated and fieldwork often involves confusion, failures and mistakes. What the contributions to this book suggest instead of a recipe, is that there are several tough questions we should ask ourselves before, during and after fieldwork. Their consideration will help to navigate our research as ethically, sensibly and safely as possible in view of the manifold dilemmas along the way. Yet, the answers to these questions will not be uniform. In this conclusion, we summarize ten areas of concern we think stand out as major take-aways from our contributors’ honest insights and thoughtful reflections and which researchers ought to consider when planning fieldwork-based research.

Before going to the field…

Fieldwork must start long before the researcher actually goes to ‘the field’— not least because most researchers will have little time to wander the world for an extended period, familiarize themselves with different localities and learn from local communities, before finally settling on research puzzle and fieldwork location. These days, due to changes in how universities work and research is financed, fieldwork is often much more business-like and about getting the work done, which means the researcher should be prepared.