From Mexico to Vietnam, Fieldwork as a Method: Elements for a Sociology of Cities in Development

Urban research in Southern countries continues to be severely limited by a lack of data and information necessary for a rigorous and reliable analysis of demographic, social, and territorial developments. Researchers must therefore commit to understanding the reality on the ground by going into the field to gather information, not only from official sources, such as representatives of supervisory institutions, but from all stakeholders—namely residents—who can not only quantify facts but can also provide a sensitive account of their lived experience. This is all the more important given that residents’ requests are often ignored due to their illegal and informal status, and the difficulty that disadvantaged populations face in addressing the issues with regard to their urban settlement. In terms of methodology, fieldwork consisting of observation, data collection, and dialogue is essential. With over 40 years of urban investigation and intervention, this methodology has proven its worth time and time again by corroborating knowledge acquired elsewhere. It also allows us to hear the voices of those most directly affected: the inhabitants, particularly the poorest and most disadvantaged living in the most impoverished neighborhoods of Global South cities. In this article, we pay tribute to these city dwellers and formulate some guidelines to contribute to urban research and the interdisciplinary approach it requires. We also lay out the priority’s decision makers must establish in order to make cities more livable for all, while taking into account both urban constraints and the extraordinary potential afforded by innovative, inclusive approaches. Examples from diverse cities, such as Toluca (Mexico), Douala (Cameroon), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Nuevo de Julio (Argentina), and Montes Claros (Brazil) collected over the years demonstrate that fieldwork and dialogue between stakeholders are essential for solving urban planning, land use and social equity issues.