The Stories from the Field Podcast is back for a second season! In this introductory episode of Season 2, Ora and Peter reunite to preview the new season line-up and look back on the origins of the podcast and the co-edited book that it’s based on. Season 2 focuses on research on civil war across the globe, bringing together scholars from a wide range of perspectives. This season’s conversations will cover everything from doing research in one’s home country, to the special importance of research ethics in scholarship on armed conflict, to the significance— and challenges—of impartiality when conducting field research. Enjoy, and welcome back to Stories from the Field !

0:14 Welcome and Intro

1:21 Origins of the Podcast

2:24 First Season Highlights

4:12 Who is This Podcast For?

5:13 Using this Podcast as a Teaching Tool

6:43 This Season's Theme: Research on Civil War

9:00 Overview of Season 2

9:52 Season 2 Episode Line-up

Publications Mentioned in this Episode

1. Krause, Peter, and Ora Szekely, eds. Stories from the Field: A Guide to Navigating Fieldwork in Political Science. Columbia University Press, 2020.
2. Krause, Peter. “The Strategies of Counter-Secession: How States Prevent Independence.” Nations and Nationalism 28, no. 3 (2022): 788–805. https://doi.org/10.1111/nana.12822.
3. Souleimanov, Emil Aslan, David S. Siroky, and Peter Krause. “Kin Killing: Why Governments Target Family Members in Insurgency, and When It Works.” Security Studies 31, no. 2 (2022): 183–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/09636412.2022.2079997.
4. Daly, Sarah Zukerman, and Peter Krause. “Whose Side Are You on? Balancing Impartiality and Proximity in the Study of Civil Wars.” Conflict, Security & Development 24, no. 6 (2024): 621–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/14678802.2024.2435057.
5. Szekely, Ora. Syria Divided: Patterns of Violence in a Complex Civil War. Columbia University Press, 2023.
6. Jumet, Kira D., and Merouan Mekouar, eds. Doing Research as a Native: A Guide for Fieldwork in Illiberal and Repressive States. Oxford University Press, 2025.
7. Cheng, Christine, and Christopher Day. “Research Ethics and the Study of Armed Actors: Process vs. Practice.” Conflict, Security & Development 24, no. 6 (2024): 501–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/14678802.2024.2436546.

Producers: Nathaniel La Blanc, Katherine Tan, Claire Geratz

Find Stories from The Field at Columbia University Press or Amazon