Fieldwork Unbound: Spaces of Association in Postconflict Vietnam*

Abstract

This article traces the ways in which the field emerges and becomes emplaced among three groups of people by presenting an inclusive reading of fieldwork in postconflict Vietnam. It employs a heuristic device called spaces of association to illustrate the different yet interrelated socio-spatial fields that surface when conducting fieldwork in an environment known for violence. In shedding light on the field's ability to extend beyond the territorially defined "field site," this article speaks to debates surrounding the socio-spatial production of multiple and overlapping fields, describes the audiences engaged with and implicated in research, and contributes to understandings of ethical research engagement with postconflict field sites. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.