Doing Effective Fieldwork : A Textbook for Students of Qualitative Field Research in Higher-learning Institutions

We live in a context of change, whereby postmodernity shapes our understanding and our searching for truth. Postmodernity dictates not only what kind of results we obtain in our researches, but also on the ways we use to search for truth. This means that postmodernity dictates the ways we do research in various disciplines, the ways we use to analyze the research results, and the ways we use to communicate the findings. Postmodernity is the paradigm in which we are greatly concerned. What is the place of rules of research, research ethics, selection of the problem, and designing of research as we consider the context whereby nothing absolute can be envisaged? How should one review the literature to suit this postmodern understanding of reality? How should one argue his or her case? This book is designed to help students in higher learning institutions learn qualitative research methods in classrooms or by themselves. It moves students and researchers from modern ways of understanding, doing, and communicating qualitative research towards postmodern challenges and promises. In this case, the book is worthy reading to every serious student and researcher who seeks to equip oneself to the current issues of qualitative research methodology.

Elia Shabani Mligo (PhD, University of Oslo, Norway) is Senior Lecturer in Research, Philosophy, and Religious Studies at Tumaini University Makumira, Mbeya Center in Tanzania. He is the author of many books and articles on contextual theology and research. Some of his books include Jesus and the Stigmatized (2011), Writing Academic Papers (2012), Doing Effective Fieldwork (2013), Elements of African Traditional Religion (2013), Symbolic Interactionism in the Gospel According to John (2014), and He Descended into Hell (2015).

Loreen Maseno is senior lecturer at the Department of Religion, Theology and Philosophy at Maseno University in Maseno, Kenya. She is the author of many articles and books. Two of her books include Practices in Higher Education in Kenya (2011) and How Abanyole African Widows Understand Christ (2014).

Zorodzai Dube is senior lecturer in New Testament Studies at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He is the author of several articles that include, "Ritual Healing Theory and Mark's Healing Jesus: Implications for Healing Rituals within African Pentecostal Churches" (2019), "Models and Perspectives Concerning the Identity of Jesus as Healer" (2018), "Reception of Jesus as Healer in Mark's Community" (2018), and "The Talmud, the Hippocratic Corpus and Mark's Healing Jesus on Infectious Diseases" (2018).