Methodologically Thinking: Doing Disability Research in Ghanaian Cultural Communities

Abstract

This article discusses methodological challenges encountered during a collaborative North-South research project. Based on fieldwork on the oral history of disability rights in Ghana, we argue that conducting research in the global South requires adapting international research methodologies to Southern socio-cultural contexts. Adaptations are needed in all stages, including ethics (where trust-building and culturally informed consent are vitally important), recruitment (which must consider local socio-cultural factors), and data collection and analysis (where flexibility and adaptiveness are essential in response to the lived reality of participants with different disability types). We conclude that flexible, collaborative methods can produce results that reflect the lived experiences of persons with disabilities in the global South, while following international methodological norms.

Keywords

• ghana
• disability rights
• methodology
• oral history
• culture