Conducting Terrorism Fieldwork on a Shoe-String Budget: Researching Suicide Terrorism in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

This article addresses some of the key challenges faced when attempting to conduct fieldwork as a solitary researcher in a conflict zone with very little in the way of funds. The author’s experience in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) is used here to outline how to setup and conduct fieldwork with minimal resources and a handful of contacts to begin with, the logistical and practical hurdles that may arise in such an endeavour as well as some mechanisms to overcome these challenges without compromising the integrity of the research project at hand. Other issues such as how to address region specific challenges including entering the OPTs and travelling in the region are also covered. The paper also provides tips on a range of issues including, how to successfully manage prevalent risks and follow up on interviews when budgetary constraints prevent another trip back into the region.