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In this episode, Sohail interviews Ginger, who challenges the misconception that qualitative research is too slow and narrow to influence emergency response planning. Despite the common preference for quantitative data in crises, we spotlight the irreplaceable insights that qualitative research provides—insights into human behaviour, cultural context, and community dynamics that are crucial during emergencies. Join us as we explore real-world examples where nuanced, qualitative data has informed swift, culturally sensitive, and effective emergency responses, proving that in the heat of the moment, every narrative counts.
Ginger A. Johnson is a medical anthropologist with extensive experience of rapid qualitative research in emergency response, with organisations such as the World Food Programme and UNICEF. She was embedded in West Africa with the International Federation of the Red Cross during the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak and has additionally been involved in conducting research on subsequent public health emergencies of international concern such as Zika in Latin America, Ebola in DRC, polio in Pakistan and the COVID-19 pandemic. Ginger co-founded the Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab (RREAL) at UCL, which promotes the quality and impact of rapid research used to study and evaluate clinical and health service models and interventions for time-sensitive contexts.
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References and resources
Websites & Webinars:
- Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab (RREAL)
- Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform (SSHAP)
- Social Science for Community Engagement in Humanitarian Action
- Collective Service – Using Social Science for Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Leveraging Social Sciences for Community Engagement in Humanitarian Action
- 2024 Emergency Watchlist | International Rescue Committee (IRC)
- We coordinate | OCHA (unocha.org) – for information on the humanitarian programme cycle & cluster system
Peer-Reviewed Publications (Books, Articles):
- Johnson, Ginger A and Cecilia Vindrola-Padros, Eds. (2023). Rapid Research in Action: Lessons from the Field. Frontiers in Sociology.
- Vindrola-Padros, Cecilia and Ginger A. Johnson, Eds (2022). Caring on the Frontline: Contributions from Rapid Qualitative Research. Springer Link.
- Vindrola-Padros, Cecilia and Ginger A. Johnson (2021). The Use of Rapid Qualitative Research in Time-Sensitive Contexts: Challenges and Opportunities (Chapter 10). Temporality in Qualitative Inquiry. Routledge.
- Vindrola-Padros, C and Ginger A. Johnson (2020). Rapid Techniques in Qualitative Research: A Critical Review of the Literature. Qualitative Health Research.
- Johnson, Ginger A and Cecilia Vindrola-Padros(2017). Rapid Qualitative Research Methods During Complex Health Emergencies: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Social Science & Medicine.