The Contribution of Local Researchers

Abstract

This chapter demonstrates the benefits that local researchers afford to the decision-making of receptive international practitioners. Strategic communication and the building of positive, informal, working relationships with international practitioners is critical for local researchers, and provides a means to strengthen the political compass or anthropological knowledge of international practitioners. Three case studies of researcher-practitioner interaction reveal the critical importance of the nature of the individual and the everyday agency and experience of international practitioners and local researchers. The outcome of researcher-practitioner engagement, whether it results in a contribution to practitioner learning or decision-making, is largely determined by the personalities and attitudes of those involved. Yet, the insights provided in this chapter indicate that following engagement with local research, international SSR practitioners may consider local context in greater depth and think more critically about SSR implications.