This presentation offers a look at the experiences in forming of methodology during collaboration with people labeled as “disabled” in Slovakia and Czech Republic. The goal is to understand, how situations and encounters during fieldwork and spending time with people labeled as “disabled”, their relatives, friends, caregivers, shape the methodologies and to reflect on the trajectories of these shifts in perception. Another goal is to look at the importance of informality in this field of study as an approach for establishing connection with the people.
Throughout the seven years I have been volunteering and researching in a foundation focused on the inclusion and social rehabilitation of people labeled as “disabled”, informality has been crucial to build up trust and connection. Furthermore, during my experience while working with people labeled as “disabled”, I have given much attention to how different methodologies can be used to achieve the same goal, given the difference in the state of the body in different social actors. The thesis is to offer an outlook on the fluidity in methodologies of people labeled as “disabled” and how this fluidity can reflect on the process of research as well.