Over the past few months, I have been conducting fieldwork research in Algeria as part of my PhD dissertation project. I aim to explore contraceptive knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Algerian women of reproductive age living in the Northern and Southern regions of the country. Through a multi-methods qualitative approach encompassing an online survey with university students, in-depth interviews with Algerian women of reproductive age, and interviews with key informants, my aim is to understand better the contraceptive context in both urban and rural settings. As an Algerian woman who lived most of my life in the capital Algiers, I have a deep understanding of the local context and the overarching social, political, economic, and cultural dynamics. Additionally, I have a profound comprehension of the role faith plays in the Algerian society and how religious dynamics influence social and cultural aspects of life. My fluency in the spoken languages and dialects in Algeria is an asset that enables me to build rapport and connect more easily with women from a variety of backgrounds and regions in the country. Prior to commencing fieldwork, I conducted a preparatory visit that allowed me to anticipate potential challenges. I had questions such as how to engage women in discussions about their sexual and reproductive experiences? How to connect with stay-at-home women, those in rural areas, and those in the southern region? Among the challenges I faced in the field was approaching 'religious' or ‘conservative/traditional’ women. This was mainly due to the association of contraception with sex. Although I am an 'insider,' engaging them in conversations about contraception proved challenging and required adjusting my language, as well as justifying why I wanted to discuss this topic. In this roundtable, I will reflect on how being an “insider” to the Algerian society allowed me to connect with women, build rapport, and gain trust, ultimately contributing to the success of the in-depth interviews. My personal experiences in Algeria, particularly with the health system and as a woman within this society, accounting for the social dynamics, provided a common ground from which I approached women. Understanding their experiences and having the ability to relate to them as "one of them" contributed to building trust and facilitated discussions. I will share the successes and challenges that I faced, along with best practices to prepare for and conduct fieldwork research in Algeria based on my own experience.

Title: Navigating Cultural Norms and Gender Dynamics: Experiences of a Sexual and Reproductive Health Researcher in Libya In my presentation, I will explore the complex dynamics of conducting sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender-based violence (GBV) research in Libya, with a focus on the unique challenges and insights from my recent fieldwork. Central to my presentation is the examination of how gender perceptions and societal norms, particularly concerning women's attire and autonomy, profoundly influence research processes and field interactions. My fieldwork, conducted in Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sabha, aimed to understand the SRH/GBV needs of women aged 15-49. This endeavor was deeply impacted by cultural and gender-specific challenges, including navigating the ban on the use of the word “gender.” This linguistic and conceptual restriction presented a significant barrier, requiring careful negotiation of language and terminology in a context where global concepts are locally contested. Key incidents, such as difficulties in booking hotels without a male guardian (mahram), discriminatory treatment at airports, and varied responses to my non-hijab attire, highlighted entrenched gender norms in Libyan society. These experiences illuminated the entrenched gender norms and complex societal expectations in Libyan society, particularly for women who deviate from traditional norms. My positionality as a non-hijab-wearing, unmarried, cisgender woman from Libya, with affiliations to both Eastern and Western academic institutions, has offered a unique lens through which to view and experience these gender dynamics. This dual insider-outsider status has been both a challenge and an asset, allowing me to connect with local women and feminist groups actively working towards gender equality, while also facing scrutiny and resistance in various forms. In the roundtable discussion, I will address the nuanced decision-making process around wearing a hijab in specific fieldwork locations and its impact on my research interactions. Additionally, I will discuss strategies for navigating gender biases and power dynamics in the field. A significant focus will be placed on the broader implications of the prohibition of the term “gender” in my research, underscoring how it challenges conventional approaches to discussing and addressing gender issues in Libya. This presentation aims to illuminate the often-overlooked impact of cultural and gender norms on research in the Middle East and North Africa. Through sharing my experiences, I intend to offer valuable insights for researchers and practitioners engaging in similar contexts, contributing to a deeper understanding of the complexities and ethical considerations involved in conducting SRH and GBV research in culturally diverse and restrictive environments.

My dissertation research project explores the growing desire for and pursuit of muscular and fit bodies in the Middle East, focusing on the case of Egypt. These desires and the pursuits are negotiated in a field of practice rife with muscle dysmorphia (a specific type of body dysmorphia) and the potentially deadly effects of anabolic steroid use. Through ethnographic research, I explore this negotiation amongst competitive bodybuilders, personal trainers, medical professionals, and everyday gym-goers in Egypt, situating them in both local and global political economies. As a PhD student currently in the field and still applying for research funding, I reflect on the ethics and strategies of conducting fieldwork on desire in Egypt. I discuss the abandonment of an earlier project on sexuality in the Middle East to my current project that explores bodybuilding and bioenhancement. Taking into account the insider/outsider binary and my own positionality among varied audiences, I consider the concepts of hospitality and being a good guest as applied to research strategies.

The gender differences during fieldwork in Iran and Iraq among Muslim Shia communities are always visible due to sociocultural settings, moral policing by the states and religious atmosphere. However, the gender differences were worked out during my research, conversations and semi-structured interviews with Shia Islamist women who support Shia militancy and the Islamic Republic of Iran. They discussed with me during my research how their worldviews became embodied experiences that informed their sexual conduct and pleasures. I never saw my research as an impossible achievement till I noticed the surprised faces of my White European colleagues who would ask 'How did you do that?' or even doubt the validity of my data and I was asked to share transcripts and recorded voices. The disbelief and surprise of those unfamiliar with my research context provoked me to interrogate and reflect on my interviewing process and ethnographic fieldwork. I mapped every step in the introduction, communication, interviewing and visiting religious seminars with these women to understand what are the power dynamics, positionalities and techniques that have made the "impossible achievement" possible and move beyond the disbelief that is tainted by Racial bias and Eurocentric prejudice. Accordingly, this presentation will discuss what I learned from my mapping efforts and how my positionalities such as gender dispositions and differences in the Middle East could be worked through by relying on communal networks, stepping into the world of my interlocutors by learning Islamic jurisprudence, medical knowledge and overcoming shame around my sexuality.