Sensitive interviews include interviews about emotionally difficult topics or deeply personal issues, interviews with vulnerable populations or research that could have negative consequences for participants. The ethical considerations when conducting such interviews are complex. The session will address a range of questions and is designed to equip researchers conducting sensitive research with the understanding, tools and strategies they will need in the field. Specifically, the session will consider what are the risks for respondents and how should these be these managed? What will researchers need to consider in order to gain ethical approval for sensitive research? What are the researcher’s responsibilities? What skills and competencies are required in the conduct of sensitive interviews? What issues might arise in practice and what strategies can researchers use to manage these? What are the possible impacts for researchers and how can these be addressed? Participants are invited to bring their own research projects and examples, experiences, questions and concerns to the session.

Note: Students attending this session are expected to have a solid understanding of the principles of informed consent and are urged to attend the session on Informed consent on 14 October 2024.

Facilitator: Josie Dixon, Assistant Professorial Research Fellow in CPEC, Department of Health Policy, LSE. 

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Informed consent is a key legal and ethical principle in the conduct of research involving human subjects, but what does it mean for researchers in practice? This session will provide an overview of the obligations upon researchers to ensure that participants have provided their informed consent. The session will cover basic principles and consider how informed consent is assured in various different contexts such as in-depth interviews, ethnography, social media, research with children and vulnerable individuals, ‘second-hand’ participation (such as when images of others are produced by research participants), deception and covert research, and data-sharing. The session will provide lots of advice about how to manage processes of informed consent in practice, including in situations where it may become tricky to navigate. Participants are invited to bring their own questions and dilemmas to the session for discussion. 

Note: This session is foundational for the course coming later in the schedule on ‘conducting sensitive interviews’ and students intending to attend that course, are strongly urged to attend this session on Informed consent 

Facilitator: Josie Dixon, Assistant Professorial Research Fellow in CPEC, Department of Health Policy, LSE. 

Booking will open soon.