This chapter provides a guide for conceptualizing and conducting community-focused, locally engaged research on preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). Researching P/CVE is especially challenging in conflict zones and divided societies. Local engagement, however, can help researchers gain the trust and access necessary to carry out meaningful qualitative fieldwork. Collaborating with local actors through engagements such as knowledge exchanges and capacity building ensures that research is not purely extractive or transactional. Local engagement builds the foundation for trust between researchers and research participants, which is particularly important when working on P/CVE projects. Furthermore, promoting the exchange of community-based knowledge between researchers and local stakeholders facilitates good ethical practice and enhances conflict sensitivity. Finally, working with local partners increases opportunities for meaningful policy impact, providing insights from real-world practices, examples, and case studies that can guide policy development and implementation.

 

Suggested citation:

Mikhael, Drew, and Julie Norman. Getting Local Engagement Right: Key Considerations for Local-level P/CVE Research. Washington, D.C.: RESOLVE Network, 2020. https://doi.org/10.37805/rve2020.5.