I can’t say I wasn’t anticipating it, but I didn’t see it coming in this magnitude: A Qualitative Fieldwork Experience in the North West Region of Cameroon

The process of conducting qualitative fieldwork, particularly in developing contexts can be a very complex and challenging experience, even when one could be mindful of the fact that challenges and complexities exist in doing fieldwork in qualitative research (Palmer, Fam, Smith, & Kilham, 2014; Watts, 2008; Wood, 2006) and even for those doing it in their countries of origin (Mandiyanike, 2009). These challenges are equally true for researchers who are neither natives nor foreigners, and those who are third category or returners (i.e., those who have been distanced from their country of origin for a few years for educational reasons and return to their home countries to conduct research. They will need to adapt and adjust to the context as a result of transformational processes that have occurred, owing to the distance away from the context (Wustenberg, 2008). Of course, there are clear advantages associated with doing research in one's country of origin (Wustenberg, 2008). The significant benefits include linguistic, that is, the ability to speak the relevant languages fluently, acquaintance with home culture, understanding cultural sensitivities, awareness of regional similarities and differences, opportunity of gaining access, opportunity to nurture rapport, and a creation of a sense of community, which of course enhances trust and openness in the research process. (Merriam, Johnson-Bailey, Lee, Kee, Ntseane, & Muhamad, 2001; Wustenberg, 2008). Wustenberg (2008) explains that: Indigenous researchers come into the field with a high level of understanding of cultural nuances, informal conversations, hints, idioms, jokes and so forth. Cultural and linguistic skills are important even before the research itself begins. These scholars are well-equipped to assess whether their research design can be implemented practically and are likely to have fewer misconceptions that have to be "worked off' before they can get the "meat" of their study. (p. 19) With reflections from the entire fieldwork process, this paper presents the complexities and challenges that were experienced in the field during the data collection process of my (first author) PhD in my country (Cameroon) and region of origin (Northwest Region). This doctoral study, which focuses on exploring community's role in the inclusion of people with disabilities; however, is carried out in the Department of Special Needs Education of Ghent University. The department is comprised of a group of researchers--of which the authors of the current article are members--united under the banner of Disability Studies in Education (DSE). It is a network group with strong connections to people whose lived experiences reflect the kinds of concerns addressed by DSE scholars. As a work in progress, the group attempts shifting the perspectives of students into a DSE perspective, which is a change from the old-fashioned special education perspective to a human rights perspective. Simultaneously, the group is looking at how to work with their network companions in research, education, and service to the community (Van Hove & De Schauwer, 2015). In this light, and following a presentation regarding the progress made in the current doctoral study to some members, including the second and third author; the third author supervises the current doctoral study, the second author came up with the idea of writing this article. The subsequent sections will focus on: deliberations on challenges in qualitative fieldwork, study context, research on inclusive education, and the challenges. Deliberations on Challenges in Qualitative Fieldwork Fieldwork is a critical part of every qualitative research process, and the experiences in fieldwork present researchers with a plethora of challenges and complexities. Correspondingly, qualitative fieldwork involves contact between the researcher, the participants, and the research environment or site that cannot (and arguably should not) be closely controlled by the researcher; as a result, challenges are inevitable (Bloor, Fincham, & Sampson, 2010). …