Miriam Tenquist, Sociology, University of Manchester (2019 Cohort)

As I embarked on my PhD journey in Sociology, I felt a deep calling to give voice to the experiences of ethnically minorities older communities. Specifically, I chose to focus on the older Chinese community in the UK, as their stories remained largely untold. In this personal blog post, I will share my experiences and the challenges faced during fieldwork, including finding participants, travelling across the UK, cultural barriers, and navigating fieldwork expense forms and processes. I will also highlight an encounter that reminded me of the importance of maintaining hope and momentum in the face of obstacles.

One of the first challenges I encountered was finding participants who met the specific criteria for my research. Seeking individuals over the age of 60, originating from Mainland China, Hong Kong, or other Chinese ethnicities, and having worked in the catering, childcare, manual, or personal care industry proved to be more arduous than anticipated. To overcome this, I reached out to community organisations, attended cultural events, and built connections with individuals already engaged in the target community. In particular I became a project manager for a local charity down south, this not only aided recruitment, but acted as an essential springboard into the cultural practices and intricate intragroup dynamics within the community. Patience and persistence were key, as it required extensive networking and word-of-mouth referrals to locate potential participants.

To capture a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of the older Chinese community, I embarked on a journey across various cities and regions within the UK. This entailed meticulous planning, coordinating interviews and observations, managing transportation, and ensuring effective time management. Travelling long distances presented logistical challenges, but it was a necessary endeavour to embrace the diversity of the participants’ lived experiences. The countless train rides and road trips allowed me to immerse myself in different communities, broadening my own horizons in the process.

My RTSG fund has been an integral part of the research process, allowing me to travel to interviews at a days’ notice and not worry about getting to places I had never even heard of, but they can be challenging to navigate. Filling out forms, documenting expenses, and ensuring that expenses fit within the guidelines can be time-consuming. However, I soon realised the importance of meticulous record-keeping and transparent reporting. By staying organised and seeking guidance from my academic advisors and different NWSSDTP managers, I was able to streamline the expense management process and allocate my resources effectively.

Aside from the general issues with locating participants, engaging with participants from different cultural backgrounds required sensitivity and adaptability. Language barriers were a common hurdle, necessitating the use of interpreters to facilitate communication. Understanding cultural nuances, etiquettes, and customs was crucial in establishing rapport and trust. I made a conscious effort to familiarise myself with Chinese cultural practices, which not only enhanced my interactions but also created a safe and comfortable environment for participants to share their stories openly. Although, this conscious decision came after a cultural misstep which almost cost me 5 participants.

During my fieldwork, I have encountered several setbacks that have tested my resolve. From phishing emailing’s to a more recent participant providing a postcode to a property that turned out to be uninhabited for several years. Initially disheartened by these challenges, I reminded myself of the significance of maintaining hope and momentum. I continued to reach out to other potential participants, embracing the uncertainty as part of the research process. I have now done over 40 interviews, and ultimately, these setbacks have served as a reminder that perseverance is crucial in overcoming obstacles and staying committed to the goal of amplifying unheard voices.

Embarking on fieldwork for my Sociology PhD has been a transformative journey, filled with both challenges and rewards. From finding participants and traveling across the UK to overcoming cultural barriers and navigating expense processes, each experience has shaped me as a researcher. The encounters with the older Chinese community have reaffirmed the importance of understanding diverse narratives and fostering inclusivity in policy, services, and funding for all communities. As I move forward into the latter part of my fieldwork, I am driven by a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that every hurdle encountered strengthens my commitment to capturing and sharing these invaluable stories.