Doing Prison Ethnography From a Distance : Using Cultural Probes for Research During COVID-19

This case study explores how the methodology of cultural probes was used to undertake qualitative research "at a distance” when prison-based fieldwork had to be paused as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines the flexibility of cultural probes and how this approach allowed for in-depth qualitative data to be collected from beyond the prison, through materials which were designed with both aesthetic appeal and conceptual relevance in mind. By reflecting upon the ethical and practical challenges arising, it highlights the importance of the effective design of cultural probe packs, but also attention to the emotional responses these might elicit, and the ethical issues which might arise over the course of a project. The case study concludes by posing a number of issues those considering this methodology will wish to consider, ranging from how cultural probes might be combined with other qualitative and creative methods, to the role of gatekeepers in successful and ethical research practice.