Paper short abstract:

In digitally oriented research it is sometimes necessary to utilize a combination of online and on-the-ground fieldwork. What are the subjects that make this multi-sited approach beneficial? These issues will be considered through the example of research on CONAIE’s web-presence.

Paper long abstract:

Even some digitally oriented topics cannot be completely investigated through online research, and on-the-ground fieldwork may sometimes be necessary to fill in gaps. When is digital research not sufficient? How can a balance be achieved between online and on-the-ground fieldwork? Whose voices are being sidelined when we focus exclusively on online data sources?

This paper will examine the limits of digital fieldwork through multi-sited research related to a completed MA and an ongoing PhD research project. La Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador (CONAIE) is a national organization representing a large number of indigenous peoples with a strong online presence based in Quito. With online communication, it is straightforward to understand the main message being promoted by an organization, but it is much more challenging, if not impossible, to gain insight into minority perspectives that may be excluded from official communications. CONAIE's website provides an example of this situation, with online messaging for the entire national organization being controlled in the capital. From this perspective, I will discuss the overarching issues of the relationship between these data sources, and the ways in which limits of my own digital data sources have influenced planning for my imminent on-the-ground fieldwork.