Paper short abstract:

Marked by raw territorial behaviors, protest movements animated urban spaces the last seven decades with utmost intensity in times of peace. Field research that involves participating in protest movements implies certain risks and difficulties that may impede, hinder or contaminate data collection.

Paper long abstract:

Urban environment is where the most intense and profitable economic relations are established, but also where the decisions and policies through which different institutions coordinate public life are made. Here, too, most conflicts arise spontaneously or organized by citizens, when their political, economic or social interests are harmed. Capital cities represent the "privileged" stage of social movements. Clearly marked by territorial behaviors, the protest movements represent events that animated urban spaces, in the last seven decades, with the utmost intensity in times of peace. In ethology, the term territorial refers to a sociographic space that an animal of one species dominates over other individuals of the same species and sometimes of different species.

Field research that involves participating in protest movements implies certain risks and difficulties that may impede, hinder or contaminate data collection. The psychology of crowds is inherently affected by a state of suspicion towards possible "infiltrators". And if an individual without a press badge carries and uses photo-video equipment (as is the case in visual anthropology) the "undercover" agent label is applied almost automatically. This can also pose a potential threat to personal physical or equipment integrity. Same risks can occur in case of a police bust. On the other hand, the sympathy for the supported cause can affect the attitude of maintaining objectivity and axiological neutrality. In situ research in such cases implies also a significant risk of informational intoxication.