The Anthropologist’s (Pandemic) Toolkit

Addressing the methodological challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this chapter reflects on the adaptation of ethnographic research methods to an increasingly digital fieldsite. The task of the anthropologist to uncover the ‘strange’ in our everyday lives is suddenly obviated by the ‘strangeness’ of daily life during a pandemic. The author offers insights into the practicalities and ethical considerations of conducting fieldwork remotely, emphasizing the innovative approaches employed to maintain deep engagement with the interlocutors in Germany. The chapter discusses the importance of digital platforms in facilitating connections for both qualitative researchers and their research collaborators, and the implications of this shift for the nature of anthropological inquiry and researcher-participant dynamics. It also provides a discussion on the difference between being a reflexive ‘insider researcher’ and carrying out ‘autoethnography.’ Through a detailed account of the methodological deliberations the pandemic brought about, the chapter contributes to ongoing conversations about the future of ethnographic research.