Fieldwork

This chapter explores how researchers deal with fieldwork as an embodied and emotional activity where their presence plays important roles. It builds on the cuerpo-territorio, or ‘body as territory,’ methodology to show how researchers choose to engage or avoid unpleasant emotional experiences, including gender-based violence (GBV), during data collection. Drawing on qualitative data from women and gender-diverse people, including the experiences of the authors, the chapter shows how researchers’ bodies are crucial for gaining knowledge and protecting ourselves from further violence. The chapter contributes to the growing discussion on the emotional and political landscapes, using the swamp as a metaphor encountered during fieldwork and the implication of those encounters for geographical research.