Eurocentric ethics and <i>Pakhtunwali</i> in Northwest Pakistan: decolonising qualitative research

Purpose While conducting research in non-Western contexts, local cultural values confront conventional research ethics, which results in methodological difficulties. It is significant for researchers to know the problems and the ways they can manage them. Design/methodology/approach Using a decolonial and autoethnographic approach, in this article, I reflect on issues encountered during two rounds of fieldwork on the Taliban’s insurgency (2007–2009) in northwestern Pakistan. I focus on the data-collection phase. Findings The major difficulties related to how local values of Pakhtunwali , such as hospitality, bravery, honour and gender differences, challenge research ethics such as confidentiality, informed consent, voluntary participation, equal representation and beneficence. I argue for integrated research approaches that adhere to Eurocentric ethics but are culturally appropriate in a non-Western context, facilitating researchers and positively impacting the researched community. Research limitations/implications Researchers need to know how to respond to the difficulties. It is hoped that the insights of this article will contribute to good research practices among those who research indigenous communities, especially the Pakhtuns in northwest Pakistan. Originality/value The decolonial efforts have become a rich body of discourse, but decolonising research in the context of Pakhtunwaali (the culture of Pakhtuns ) in Pakistan requires greater attention. Methodological difficulties that occur due to applying the Eurocentric approach in the northwest region of Pakistan is a significant area to explore.