Research in comparative and international education routinely encounters exceptional research conditions. In this article, the author explores the particular issues he faced in his research on multi-level youth programs of the Haitian reconstruction. Through a vertical analysis of internationally sponsored programs, this study required special attention to working in a cross-cultural, politically fragile environment. In this article, he highlights connections with several other multi-level studies in fragile states which are also featured in this issue of RCIE. However, his focus is upon those issues that are particular to conducting research in post-earthquake Haiti. These issues include the roles of researcher and participants, the impact of discourses of security, and negotiating cross-cultural issues such as language, power, and notions of participation. This article also positions his research by including an overview, a theoretical framework, the socio-political context, and a detailed description of methodology and methods. (Contains 2 figures and 7 notes.)