From Practice to Theory and Back Again: Working on Conflict and Peace in the Asia-Pacific

This essay reflects on my journey from working in NGOs and evaluation to academic research on conflict and peace. Drawing on experiences in Myanmar and the Philippines, I discuss how working in conflict-affected settings has changed the way I approach research. In Myanmar, I learned that involving local researchers does not necessarily mean sharing control over the research process. In Mindanao, restrictions on travel led us to develop a different approach to fieldwork, one that relied on local researchers and challenged my assumptions about the importance of international researchers being physically present. These experiences also raised questions about what research and evaluation can reasonably claim, particularly in peacebuilding and efforts to prevent violent extremism. I argue that good research depends on understanding the context, recognising the different contributions of researchers, and being willing to adapt methods when circumstances demand it. Throughout, I show how practice continues to shape my research questions, while academic work helps me think more carefully about the problems I encounter in practice.