En quête de la haute mer

Abstract

Characterized by various forms of distance, the high seas present particular challenges for ethnographic fieldwork. Based on our research on tuna fisheries and the conservation of marine biodiversity in the Pacific, we share some common experiences on the methods mobilized to conduct our fieldwork remotely. We describe how our multi-sited and multiplex approaches, consisting in crossing data collected offline and online, have allowed us to rework some geographical, social and temporal distances while not erasing them altogether. We then reflect on how these research devices contribute to transforming the relations between investigator and respondents, as well as the researcher’s relationship to his/her work and field. If the ethnographer can overcome the obstacle of physical distance in order to carry out fieldwork, we argue that he or she should not be satisfied with researching exclusively from afar.

Keywords

• fieldwork
• ethnography
• remote research
• digital technologies
• high seas
• fisheries