Negotiating access to research on triad society: the importance of Chinese and triad cultural capital

Abstract

Negotiating access to participants presents challenges for researchers of organised crime. Issues in accessing the field of criminal organisations in Western settings have been well-documented. However, strategies for accessing Chinese criminal organisations remain embryonic. This article presents findings that represent the researcher’s first-hand fieldwork experiences in overcoming such challenges, especially the problem of access negotiation when conducting triad society research. As the first ethnographic study of triad society in China, this paper aims to identify the ways in which the effective use of Chinese culture and triad subculture, insider information and knowledge facilitates access negotiation to the field, and helps establish social networks with individuals at different levels of the triad hierarchy. Attention is paid to the ways in which the researcher utilised Chinese networking culture, including guanxi principles and the mechanism of renqing as well as face culture and face-work, in gaining access to and building trust with triad members. Techniques to acquire triad subculture will also be addressed.

Who researches organised crime? A review of organised crime authorship trends (2004–2019)

“…Although researchers do not have to be natives, they need to immerse themselves in the native culture and underworld subcultures to succeed. Sharon Kwok ( 2019 ) has shown how cultural understanding and insider information were invaluable not only in negotiating entry into Triad society but also in protecting the researcher against potential dangers (also Baird 2018 , in Colombia). Kwok ( 2019 :13) argues that the inherent difficulties of access have limited ethnographic research on Triads, forcing most research to rely on third party information, which presents a ‘skewed picture’ (also Windle and Silke 2019 ).…”

“…Sharon Kwok ( 2019 ) has shown how cultural understanding and insider information were invaluable not only in negotiating entry into Triad society but also in protecting the researcher against potential dangers (also Baird 2018 , in Colombia). Kwok ( 2019 :13) argues that the inherent difficulties of access have limited ethnographic research on Triads, forcing most research to rely on third party information, which presents a ‘skewed picture’ (also Windle and Silke 2019 ). Qualitative organised crime research often relies on personal contacts: Two notable examples include Hobbs’ ( 2013 ) research on organised crime in East London, Robert McLean and James Densley ( 2020 ) work on Glasgow gangs, and Sheldon Zhang and Ko-lin Chin ( 2002 ) work on human smugglers in China.…”

Exploring partnerships with justice-involved children in Hong Kong: the role of social workers and barriers towards transformation

“…Access to “Service A” was afforded due to the Chinese networking culture of “Guanxi”, which also helped navigate fieldwork relations. Guanxi identifies power and status while also emphasising reciprocal and trusting relationships originating from Confucianism (Jiang et al , 2012; Kwok, 2019). Two aspects of Guanxi include the closeness of relationships and “doing favours” (renqing) for creating and maintaining relationships (Kwok, 2019).…”

“…Guanxi identifies power and status while also emphasising reciprocal and trusting relationships originating from Confucianism (Jiang et al , 2012; Kwok, 2019). Two aspects of Guanxi include the closeness of relationships and “doing favours” (renqing) for creating and maintaining relationships (Kwok, 2019). The subtle difference in Guanxi is that favour exchange is not immediate, so you can do a favour for someone, and wait until you need a favour in return, but remain in a close relationship.…”

Cultural practices and organizational ethnography: implications for fieldwork and research ethics

“…The process of fieldwork is undoubtedly imbued with cultural practices such as wasta or guanxi in these cultural contexts (Crestani and Taylor, 2021; Kwok, 2020; Natifu, 2016). Nevertheless, the literature on qualitative methods falls short of accounting for the implications of such practices, especially wasta, although the word “wasta” and its practice is used throughout the Middle East and is discussed in scholarly debates, such as management and organization studies (MOS).…”