Chapter 8. Designing Research for Southeast Asian Contexts

Start with a purposeful question. Ask who benefits, who asked for this knowledge, and who has already studied the topic, including in local languages. Strong projects respond to regional priorities and involve local scholars from the start [6][9].

Choosing a design [45][46][47]:

Quantitative: surveys, experiments, secondary data analysis, econometrics.

Qualitative: interviews, focus groups, ethnography, case studies, discourse and text analysis.

Mixed methods: integrate the strengths of both.

Participatory and action research: work with communities in defining problems and solutions.

Comparative and multi-country research: require attention to equivalence of concepts and measures.

Positionality and reflexivity. Reflect on how your identity, status, nationality, language, gender, religion and institutional affiliation shape your relationships and interpretations. Write a positionality statement and revisit it during the project [58].

Local concepts and indigenous methodologies. Some regional scholars have developed methods grounded in local cultures. In the Philippines, Sikolohiyang Pilipino (Filipino psychology) led by Virgilio Enriquez promotes concepts and methods such as pagtatanong-tanong (asking around) and pakikipagkuwentuhan (informal storytelling conversation) as culturally appropriate ways to gather data [40][41]. Such approaches show that research methods themselves can be rooted in local ways of relating.

Comparative research. Avoid “methodological nationalism” that treats countries as the only units of analysis. Sampling and definitions should reflect regional diversity and cross-border flows (for example migration, trade or river basins). Equivalence of concepts, measures and contexts must be examined [56].

Feasibility. Consider time needed for approvals, language learning, travel in monsoon seasons, religious and public holidays, harvest cycles, school calendars and political events such as elections.

Budgeting. Include costs for interpreters and translators, local research assistants (with fair pay), permits and fees, insurance, security measures, community feedback and dissemination in local languages [65].

Pilot studies. Test instruments, procedures, consent processes and logistics with a small group before full fieldwork. Revise based on feedback.

Research questions that respect context. Consider how a topic is understood locally and what words are used. Avoid imposing external categories without testing their meaning.

Plan for return and impact. Decide early how findings will be returned to participants and communities, and how they might inform policy or practice.

Reflection: Write a positionality statement for your project in 200 words.