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ID: 168598

On Brokers, Commodification of Information and Liberian Former Combatants / Käihkö, Ilmari

Käihkö, Ilmari	Journal Article
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Summary/Abstract

This article investigates research brokers and commodification of information. When combined with inherently asymmetric research relationships and successful gatekeeping, brokers create demand and become indispensable. Potential negative effects of brokerage and commodification of information are discussed through experiences studying former combatants in Liberia. There bargains with brokers who could facilitate access to this hidden population resulted in a vicious circle as brokers confirmed what researchers wanted to hear. The attention to this issue was first brought by subsequent ethnography and participant observation, which also offer the promise of an ethically defensible way of collecting information.

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Commodification of Information ; Liberian Former Combatants

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ID: 188714

Response to Ilmari Käihkö’s “On Brokers, Commodification of Information and Liberian Former Combatants / Themnér, Anders

Themnér, Anders	Journal Article
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In a recent article in Civil Wars, Ilmari Käihkö criticizes my research approach of collaborating with ex-commanders to study their own ex-command structures. While I welcome a discussion concerning the pros and cons of employing this approach, it must be based on a correct representation of the methods that I have used. Käihkö does not do this in his article, and he makes a number of false statements about my research. My ambition with this paper is to set the record straight and pave the way for a more productive discussion about how to best study ex-command structures.

Key Words

Liberian Former Combatants ; Ilmari Käihkö ; Brokers, Commodification of Information

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