This chapter looks at the major challenges the social scientists and social researchers are facing in conducting social research during this COVID-19 pandemic due to their physical inaccessibility to the community. The chapter also provides some alternative ways to reduce these challenges using different techniques within the latitudes of social sciences research. This chapter is based on authors' empirical observations, and some evidence is obtained from the experts' opinions working in different disciplines in social sciences. Results found some practical challenges (i.e., many social researchers stop their research practices due to inaccessibility in the communities; many of them started their research, but could not finish it; some researchers are doing their research using alternative tools and techniques; and research funding has been frizzed due to this pandemic). Findings would be useful to the social sciences researchers, academics, research students, policymakers, and development practitioners.
TopIntroduction
Social research is a scientific investigation of social phenomena. This scientific method gathers information using diverse tools and techniques including observation from real practices of human beings and their relationship with other entities. The major tasks in this procedure have occurred in the community settings where people maintain their lives and livelihoods. Another aspect of social research is that this process wants to explore the complexities and relationships of people that they perform in the intercultural dialogues in the community. Social research explores ideas of social changes in the community, their determinant factors and consequences as well as predicts the future trend. However, the main space of social research is a community, its composition, relationships, and interconnections. In most cases, social scientists and social researchers collect data through observing and interviewing in community settings.
The Covid-19 (coronavirus) is one of the big threats to social research practice in the community as this outbreak quickly swells worldwide, many countries are espousing non-therapeutic preventive measures, which comprise travel bans, remote office activities, country lockdown, and most importantly, social distancing (Anwar et al., 2020). Social sciences researchers also have a crucial role to play in safeguarding that the voices of communities affected by an issue are embodied in deliberations of it and that relevant participants are capable to be involved in decisions that affect them. Magaco et al., (2021) mention:
“The current situation along with its dilemmas increase uncertainties about the conduct, rigour, and outcomes of already-planned research activities and community engagement in times of public health emergencies caused by pandemics such as COVID-19, which brings us to the discussion of the technical challenges emerging from carrying out these activities under the circumstances imposed by the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic” (Magaco et al., 2021).
It is a valid argument in social research that it needs to utilize its tools and techniques to discover facts from the community. In most cases, the Covid prohibits getting physical community access is not possible. Social research is also very careful about the feasibility, reliability and validity of its collected data to justify its rationale and generalization that only be viable if the researchers have a free, fair and democratic engagement at the community level in a certain period. I can further quote from Magaco et al., (2021):
“Social and behavioural science research and community engagement require substantial social and physical interaction between researchers and community members, as approaches such as interviews, focus group discussions, direct observations and community meetings are often conducted in-person. The COVID-19 State of Emergency poses limitations to the execution of these activities, which can affect enrolment and engagement in the studies. For the particular case of Manhiça Health Research Centre, all in-person community engagement gatherings (which often engage over 50 people each) and focus group discussions (FGD) (which usually gather 6–12 people) were cancelled, and interviews can only proceed under specific circumstances, particularly if the continuation of the main study’s activities is justifiable, such as clinical trials requiring participant or family follow-up, and surveillance activities with potential to inform or support COVID-19 response” (Magaco et al., 2021).
This chapter attempts to look at the major challenges the social researchers are facing to conduct social research during the covid pandemic, and then suggest some ways to overcome these challenges.
TopMethodology
The chapter has been written based on the author’s empirical experiences working in this field last 25 years that are exposed from observation, variety of audiences, research practice, working with diverse fields and communities. This is the way of learning that I call ‘I will not believe it unless I see it. The author also inserted some evidence from his colleagues where he engages as a form of research collaboration and joint publications with different universities in the globe including Bangladesh. Many quotations and themes are inserted from different internet sources that include journals, books, book chapters, blogs, and other available sources.