Safety and Belonging in the Field: A Checklist for Educators

Abstract

Ensuring taught fieldwork is a positive, generative, collective, and valuable experience for all participants requires considerations beyond course content. To guarantee safety and belonging, participants’ identities (backgrounds and protected characteristics) must be considered as a part of fieldwork planning and implementation. Furthermore, getting fieldwork right is an important step in disrupting the ongoing cycle of exclusion of participants from marginalised demographics. This document aims to provide those involved in field teaching in Geography, Earth, and Environmental Sciences (GEES) disciplines with a brief overview about how identity affects experiences of taught fieldwork, as well as some general tips and a practical checklist for creating a safe learning environment for all staff, demonstrators, and students in the field.

Best practices for LGBTQ+ inclusion during ecological fieldwork: Considering safety, cis/heteronormativity and structural barriers

“…It is critical that we create inclusive environments where LGBTQ+ individuals can be their true selves. We recommend intersectional fieldwork recommendations such as Greene et al (2021) for coverage of many marginalized identities. Here, we provide recommendations specifically for…”

“…Instead of defaulting to gender-segregated housing, individuals should be offered choices so they can choose the safest option (Greene et al, 2021). Allowing everyone on the field team separate rooms or tents is another strategy, but LGBTQ+ individuals should not be required to have different accommodations (e.g., being required to camp while others are in bunk houses).…”

Volcanologists—who are we and where are we going?

“…Field experience can be uncomfortable for women and for other under-represented groups due to a pervasive macho culture, a lack of access to toilets, and unsafe environments for people of colour (Anadu et al 2020) or the lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, queer (or questioning) and others (LGBTQ +) community (Olcott and Downen 2020). However, a series of measures can be implemented by field leaders to make fieldwork and field trips enjoyable and productive for all (Greene et al 2021;Lawrence and Dowey 2021). Many scientific associations have codes of conduct and guidelines for events, including workshops and conferences (e.g.…”

Inclusive LGBTQ+ fieldwork: Advancing spaces of belonging and safety

“…We posit that such coordination entails that fieldwork is approached as an 'extra-institutional' space and activity that promote inclusion and belonging (cf. Greene et al, 2021). Barriers to fieldwork, including stereotypes, such as fieldwork being for 'rugged', cis-gendered, able-bodied, white men, can make those who do not conform to such stereotypes -and who are unable to cover the emotional and/or financial costs of fieldwork -believe that it is not for them.…”