Paper short abstract:

This paper will critically reflect on the use of rapid group ethnography by research teams focused on onchocerciasis control in Benin and lymphatic filariasis control in India and Nepal. It will discuss issues of sampling, saturation, generalizability & the politics of knowledge.

Paper long abstract:

This paper will reflect on the use of rapid group ethnography by research teams focused on onchocerciasis control in Benin and lymphatic filariasis control in India and Nepal. It will explore the development of this methodology, comparative lessons on MDA compliance from the three research projects, challenges encountered in the field, and the translation of research into program change. The paper will also critically discuss the strengths and weaknesses of rapid group ethnography by drawing upon a systematic review and a comparative analysis in Nepal, where we have explored insights generated from traditional qualitative data collection, large-scale surveys and rapid ethnography. I will conclude by discussing sampling, saturation, generalizability and the politics of knowledge in applied research for NTDs.