When method fails: walking as an alt-meth in a volatile context

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Abstract
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.

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