Engaging in Transnational Feminist Praxis: Ethical and Methodological Considerations Around Power and Participation in India

In this reflective article, I focus on the meanings and implications of conducting feminist ethnographic research during the COVID-19 pandemic with women participants of an educational project supported by the non-governmental sector in India. This research aimed to provide the space for women to organically present and provide insight into the multiplicity of factors that influence their decision-making authority and ability, illuminating the connections between education, agency, and empowerment during the COVID-19 pandemic. I discuss the nuances as well as on-the-ground limitations of developing collaborative and relational research in contexts with significant material and structural constraints. In this article, I seek to underscore the need to examine closely what collective belonging, duty, and responsibility looks like for researchers in the development and implementation of transnational feminist projects during crisis.