090630 ethnographic research in search of the truth (martha chinouya)

Martha Chinouya London School of Hygiene and

Tropical Medicine

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To share my work as an ethnographer To demonstrate that knowledges and

realities/truths from research = +context +researched + researcher +time +cultures

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Culture the prism for refracting and knowledge/truths

What and how you ‘see’, ‘hear’ ‘talk’ and ‘act’ is shaped by culture

Observations, interviews, conversations, participating

The field work and co-production of knowledge

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Example:◦ Manicaland ◦ Eastern Zimbabwe

Hyperinflation Food shortages High rates of HIV Collapsing health and economic sectors

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Educated in Zimbabwe and London More years spent in London Speaks Ndebele and Shona language Complex identity Hybrid culture Cannot claim total participation,

observation Reflexivity

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Doing research ‘with’ rather than ‘on’ Time (since 2003) Researched: identified priorities for

research and how they wish to be researched

language Ethics (e.g. Confidentiality, informed

consent)◦ Researcher guided by western ethics

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105 participants Men and women living with HIV (n-75)

◦ Informal traders with lower levels of formal education

Nuns, monks, priests (n-35) Christians + syncretism Recruited through the Diocese Church

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Name the project ‘Taurai’ Taurai ethnographies Rules of engagement (e.g. Entry into

Taurai house) Define how and where they wish to be

spoke to about HIV (under the tree interviews)

Confidentiality, stigma and class

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Disclosure of HIV within the Church HIV experience of faith leaders and

congregation Meaning of sin and healing

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Documented in a report Disseminated internationally and in

Zimbabwe Participants ‘we cannot see ourselves in the

report. We don’t know if you told the truth about us. We cannot read’

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