This volume examines the importance of establishing egalitarian relationships in fieldwork, and acknowledging the impact these relationships have on scholarly findings and theories. The editors and their contributors investigate how globalization affects this relationship as scholars are increasingly involved in shared networks and are subject to the same socio-economic systems as locals. The editors argue for a processual approach that begins with an analysis of researchers' personal and professional backgrounds that inform the cooperative relationships they establish during fieldwork—often a long term process—in countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Brazil.

June C. Nash is Distinguished Professor Emerita of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA.
Hans C. Buechler is Professor of Anthropology at Syracuse University, USA.