Abstract

Coping with “failure” before, during, and after doing fieldwork brings forth some of the silenced and less jubilant moments in research. Experiences and feelings of failure may come in varied disguises. They may relate to the methods used, the relationships established, the ethical challenges faced, or the way the physicality of doing research is dealt with, to mention just a few. But as every crisis can also become a turning point and imply the potential of new beginnings, instances of emotional struggle can be overcome and turned into rewarding anthropological insights.