‘We Carry Your Shit on Our Heads’: Challenges of Doing Fieldwork in the Marginal Community of ‘Watals’ in Kashmir

Certain fieldwork settings pose challenges that often test the conventional methodological and academic wisdom that we have gained as a part of our training. Our research acumen faces the real test when we particularly research vulnerable and marginalised communities. This article reflects on my experiences of conducting fieldwork using an autoethnographic approach among the marginalised ‘Watal’ community in Kashmir. As a female researcher, I encountered unique challenges related to gender and ethical issues while negotiating access to the community. In this article, I examine topics such as site selection, the complexities involved in navigating sociopolitical dynamics and the reflexive nature of conducting research in conflict-affected areas. This work underscores the interplay between personal identity and fieldwork experience, providing insights into the intricate challenges of ethnographic research within marginalised and excluded settings.