Researching Sensitive Topics

Social scientists are increasingly called upon to carry out research on topics that are `sensitive′ in the sense that they deal with behaviour that is intimate, discreditable or incriminating. Such topics not only pose difficult technical problems, but also raise questions regarding the ethics and politics of research.

Aiming to acquaint researchers with the tools and experiences of colleagues in various fields on methods of researching these topics, distinguished researchers from across the social sciences explore such issues as cross-cultural research, disclosure and the dissemination of research findings, feminist methodologies and self-censorship.