Abstract

Central Asia is following a world-wide trend of increasing inequality, authoritarianism, surveillance and state violence in the 21st century. Particularly the importance of media control, misinformation and surveillance in today's societies creates severe challenges for anthropologists and other researchers. These challenges are various in nature including security, data security, ethics and mental health. How do we as researchers face these challenges? How do we name and identify them? How do we adapt our way of research, our methodology and our theoretical framing? How do we balance keeping ourselves and our interlocutors safe while not abandoning regions with difficult access and also contributing to understanding and solutions and advancing science? What is our role as researchers in the 21st century and how do we take on the responsibility that comes with it? This panel invites contributions that centre methodology, reflexivity, ethics and (data) security in Central Asia and beyond. It invites open reflection, debate and thinking together about very difficult questions in a kind, caring and inclusive manner.