defriten
TRAINING (2.4.1)
defriten

Die KFPE ist die Dialogplattform für globale Forschungspartnerschaften in der Schweiz. Sie engagiert sich für eine effiziente, wirksame und gleichberechtigte Forschungszusammenarbeit mit Ländern niedrigen und mittleren Einkommens. Sie leistet damit einen Beitrag zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung und zur Lösung globaler und lokaler Herausforderungen.mehr

Bild: NASAmehr

1. Considerations for research funding institutions

Step 1: Considerations for research funding institutions
Bild: studio KO

You are about to fund a research endeavour set in a conflict-affected context and you are assessing the research design. As a funder, you may specifically support the conduct of conflict sensitive research. This would go beyond the capacity of an individual researcher. It requires institutional support and management decisions regarding resources, priorities and risk management.

The following questions and considerations will help you to identify whether a research institute is prepared for research in and on conflict and how you can support them in their task.

Questions

  • Ask the researchers about their understanding of the conflict context. Did they conduct a conflict analysis, jointly with their network of partners, etc.), or are steps foreseen to gain such an understanding before starting the research?
  • Do the researchers show awareness of potential risks for the context, themselves, and the research they plan to conduct?
  • Does the research institution’s management commit to conflict sensitivity with their organisational set-up and guidelines? Do they monitor risks and opportunities and (re)act accordingly?
  • Are there debrief and support mechanisms (for acute security issues, trauma counselling, etc.) during and after the research?
  • How is the attribution of funding linked to power structures in a research relationship (e.g. if money is only granted to one partner, but main task to produce data is with the other partner)?
  • What resources can and will be bound/conveyed through this research (money, HR, infrastructure)? Consider sensitivity of the use of scarce or controversial resources and embargo to import.

Recommendations

  • When evaluating research designs, closely look at the purpose of research, to ensure that the research does not fuel tensions. In whose interest is the research, who benefits? Consider content/topic, research partners, implementation of research (incl. time and place), research results and communication concerning the sensitivities of the respective context.
  • Require research partners to jointly set the agenda and allow for fair and equitable partnerships. A research design for research in conflict-affected contexts should carefully sketch out its network and partnerships.
  • Allow for flexible funding in case of changing situations (e.g. change of methodology or case studies, no-cost extensions). The funding of a research project is a resource transfer (not only of money, but also of skills and infrastructure) that can, in a best-case scenario, contribute to peace and in a worst-case scenario increase tensions and violence.

“Following the standard (Global North) requirements of what a competitive researcher’s CV should look like tends to favour the (over)-recruitment of the same ‘big names’ over and over again for research partnerships, leaving little room for young aspiring researchers to enter the field and establish themselves.”

“I conducted research in headquarters of military camps, where the methodology of observing was seen as suspicious. I’ve fallen in the trope of being seen as a spy. The fact that funding was from ‘neutral’ Switzerland helped.”

Partner:innen

Sponsor:innen