Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore why the use of a particular qualitative method, walking, failed in a given context, the Chile of contemporary unrest.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper explores walking methodologies from a critical cultural perspective.

Findings

The article argues that context as socio-material entanglement, or people's relation to place, in a volatile situation, requires strong participatory engagement to enable productive outcomes and also that one can learn from the failure to generate such engagement.

Practical implications

The article suggests that enhanced participant involvement in experimental design (here a walking event) is necessary when the situation on the ground is conflict-ridden. It also suggests that explicitly articulating one's outsider position may facilitate productive exchanges in volatile contexts. The article further suggests that failure of method is a neglected but useful topic in qualitative research.

Social implications

Although walking methodologies frequently claim to be participant-centered, they are not always organized in that manner. If they are not, they risk undermining the democratic potential of alt-meths that is of particular importance in volatile contexts.

Originality/value

Failure of method is rarely reported on. The paper addresses that knowledge gap.

中文翻译：

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当方法失败时：在易失性上下文中作为替代方法行走

目的

本文的目的是探究为什么在给定的背景下使用一种特殊的定性方法“步行”在当代动荡的智利中失败了。

设计/方法/方法

本文从重要的文化角度探讨了步行方法。

发现

文章认为，在动荡的情况下，作为社会物质纠缠或人与地方的关系的背景需要强有力的参与性参与才能产生生产性成果，而且人们可以从失败中汲取教训，以产生这种参与。

实际影响

该文章建议，当现场情况充满冲突时，有必要让参与者更多地参与实验设计（这里是步行活动）。这也表明，明确表达自己的局外人立场可能有助于在动荡的环境中进行富有成效的交流。文章进一步提出，方法的失败是定性研究中被忽略但有用的话题。

社会影响

尽管步行方法经常声称以参与者为中心，但并非总是以这种方式进行组织。如果不是这样，他们就有可能破坏替代品的民主潜力，这在动荡的环境中尤其重要。

创意/价值

方法失败的报道很少。该论文解决了这一知识鸿沟。