PHD Discussions Logo

Ask, Learn and Accelerate in your PhD Research

Question Icon Post Your Answer

Question Icon

Beyond standard institutional review, what unique ethical sensitivities might arise during your specific data gathering, and how will you navigate them?

My work involves sensitive interviews in closed communities. The IRB covered confidentiality, but I'm wrestling with less-formalized issues like perceived coercion within existing power dynamics or the emotional burden on participants after we say goodbye. How do you plan for the ethics that emerge in the field, in real time?

 

All Answers (1 Answers In All)

By Tanya Answered 2 months ago

In my fieldwork, the standard protocol often misses relational ethics. A major sensitivity is the unspoken expectation of continued friendship or support after the interview concludes, which can blur boundaries and create dependency. My plan is to navigate this by being transparent about my role's limits from the outset and building a vetted resource list of local support services to offer participants. Furthermore, I schedule mandatory debrief sessions for myself with a supervisor to process these grey-area interactions, ensuring I don't overlook a subtle ethical drift.

Your Answer