ABSTRACT

The nature of qualitative inquiry means that researchers constantly have to deal with the unexpected, and all too often this means coping with the presence of danger or risk. This innovative and lively analysis of danger in various qualitative research settings is drawn from researchers' reflexive accounts of their own encounters with 'danger'.

An original take on the ever-popular topic of the ethics of research, this pioneering book expands the common sense use of the term to encompass not just physical danger, but emotional, ethical and professional danger too, with the authors paying special attention to the gendered forms of danger implicit in the research process. From the physical danger of researching the night club 'bouncer' scene to the ethical dangers of participant observation in an old people's home, these international contributions provide researchers and students with thought provoking insights into the importance of a well chosen research design.

chapter |7 pages

OVERVIEW

ByGeraldine Lee-Treweek, Stephanie Linkogle

chapter |7 pages

Emotional danger

chapter |4 pages

Professional danger

chapter |2 pages

Note

chapter 2|17 pages

TAKING THE FLAK

Operational policing, fear and violence
ByLouise Westmarland

chapter 3|9 pages

GETTING ON THE DOOR AND STAYING THERE

A covert participant observational study of bouncers
ByDavid Calvey

chapter 4|11 pages

NEGOTIATING DANGER IN FIELDWORK ON CRIME

A researcher’s tale
ByJanet Jamieson

chapter 5|9 pages

BACTERIA AND BABIES

A personal reflection on researcher risk in a hospital
ByGloria Lankshear

chapter |4 pages

Discussion and conclusions

chapter 6|1 pages

DANGEROUS LIAISONS

Auto/biography in research and research writing
ByGayle Letherby

chapter |14 pages

Personal and academic influences

chapter |4 pages

Acknowledgements

chapter 7|18 pages

THE INSIGHT OF EMOTIONAL DANGER

Research experiences in a home for older people
ByGeraldine Lee-Treweek

chapter 8|9 pages

RELAJO

Danger in a crowd
ByStephanie Linkogle

chapter 9|2 pages

BODY, CAREER AND COMMUNITY

The implications of researching dangerous groups
ByArthur J. Jipson, Chad E. Litton

chapter |4 pages

Methodology

chapter 10|12 pages

WHITENESS

Endangered knowledges, endangered species?
ByJohn Gabriel

chapter |1 pages

Bibliography

chapter 11|11 pages

SHEER FOOLISHNESS

Shifting definitions of danger in conducting and teaching ethnographic field research
ByJeff D. Peterson

chapter |5 pages

Risk as pedagogy

chapter |1 pages

Conclusion

chapter |1 pages

Bibliography

chapter |1 pages

INDEX

Adams, J. 186 Bell, C.: and Encel, S. 16, 127; and Adler, P. and Adler, P. 58, 150, 156 Newby, H. 16; and Roberts, H. Agar, M. 57 American Anthropological Assocation Berger, V. et al. 95 Bernard, R. 149

chapter |1 pages

Collins, P. 98 structure of 150–1, 152; overt Collinson, D. 58 research on 153–4; and potentials of Community Care 62 confrontation 153–8, 163; reasons Community Relations Councils 171 for studying 158–60; researcher as Cotterill, P. 95, 101, 108; and threat to 154–5; risk of research on Letherby, G. 94, 95, 107 162–3; risk to researcher 153–8; role of researcher in 161–2; Dalley, G. 117 secondary roles for researcher in danger: awareness of 2, 23–4; beyond 155–6; structural/cultural view of researcher/researched 160–2; 151–2; studying 147–8; and trust coping strategies 144; defined 74; in 155–6; validity of research on the field 182; as immediate physical 159–60; and wider community threat 8–9; insights from 189; 160–2; see also groups invisible 80–1; move from empathy Day, G. 107 to sympathy 154–5, 157, 159, 160; Dees, M. and Fiffer, S. 151 multiple aspects 54–5, 133; new delivery suite: attitude to patients agenda 115–18; and political 86–7; description of 81; emotional correctness 169; as positively danger in 82–7; and internal disruptive influence 56; of examination 82–3; and (lack of) representation 168, 179; and knowledge 84–5; and monitoring of research 27–9, 40, 189–92; and births 83–4; and new technology researcher risk 1–7, 9–10, 61; of 81, 85; powerlessness and anger in unreliable knowledge 169; see also 83 risk/danger Denby, S. and Baker, C. 58 dangerous groups 169; acceptance of Denizen, N. 149 researcher in 157; attitude to Dobie, K. 151 presentation of reports on 157–8; door work 43–4, 198–9; assaults, take-basic preparations for studying overs, swimming lessons 48–9; and 163–4; conceptual approach toward the bouncer self 53; and collective 150–2; and confidentiality of trust 51–2; at dance-oriented club material 155–6; covert research on 49–52; and danger 47–53, 54; 153; and data collection 149–50; ethnographic episodes 7–52; at gay defined 148; development of 152; club 48–9; and gender 45, 58; and ethical problems with 156; gaining knowing the score 49–50; links to access to 155; and involvement of criminality 44, 45–6; and losing wider community 160–2; and law ‘bottle’ 48; methodological enforcement 156–7; leadership of concerns 46–7; mythology/reality 156–7; long-term involvement with concerning 44; and personal 156; mechanics of participant information 52; post-fieldwork observation 154; membership/social experience 54–6;

chapter |1 pages

professionalisation/regulation of 17–18; in door work 54; and 44–6; and quiet before the storm informed consent 17; and 50–1; regulation/professionalisation misconstruction of research 18; and of 45; visits and vests 49–52 power disparities 19–20; and Douglas, M. 181 protection of participants 18–19; at Durkheim, E. 73 religious festival 142–4 ethics 55, 56, 81, 129, 147; Economic and Social Research Council implications of covert work 43; in (ESRC) 62 practice 15, 17 Ekern, S. 139 extremism see dangerous groups emotional danger 4–5, 8, 9, 72–3, 114–15, 132, 202–3; and Fairhurst, E. 116 auto/biography 91; Farrington, D.P. 65 avoidance/denial of situation 87; feminist theory: intellectual aspect 95; and avoidance/inclusion of feelings and personal experience 94–5; 14–15; coping with 88–90, 128; simplistic view of 95–6 effect on everyday/taken-for-Fielding, N. 10, 56 granted meanings of lives 13–14; Finch, J. 15, 97 and gender 101–2, 104; and Fineman, S. 89 interview process 101–3; learning Fountain, J. 36 from 127–9; and Frank, A. 32 participant/researcher relationship Friedman, K.E. 181 13, 15–16; and personal experience 81–7, 86, 88; and personal interest Gabriel, J. 152, 173 73–4; in policing 32; positive Game, A. and Metcalfe, A. 57 aspects 87–8; and pressure/effect Garfinkel, H. 58 upon researcher 16; recognition of Geertz, C. 160 89; reflections on 85–7; at religious gender 97; and autobiography 107–8; festival 141–2; risk of 100–5; and and bouncers 45, 58; and danger in support systems 103–4 the field 182; and display of emotions: and caring work 116–18; emotions 101–2, 104; and feminist discomforting 117; as distressing research 16; participation in 123–4; importance of personal religious festival 138–40; and role/participation 127–9; initial physical threat 12; in public/private responses 118–23; making sense of places 189–90 123–7; personal 116–17; gender identity: and fitting in with prioritising 129–30 cultural milieu 38–9; and ethical danger 5–6, 8, 9, 132, 156, insider/outsider status 39; and 169–70, 199–200; and (anti)-racist male/female tasks 33–4; and police movements 19; and covert studies work 26, 27, 28, 33–4, 40

chapter |1 pages

George, J. and Wilcox, L. 150 Kleinman, S. 88; and Copp, M.A. 14, Glaser, B.G. and Strauss, A.L. 149 117, 128 Goffman, E. 106 Kosofsky Sedgwick, E. 96 Graham, J. and Bowling, B. 64–5 Kox, W. et al. 151 groups: identification of 66–7; legitimation of 200; older 66–7; as laboratory setting: and clerical staff potentially ‘dangerous’ 64–5; racial 78–80; and eating 75–6; Health and 19; sampling/researching unfamiliar Safety in 74–5, 77, 78, 79–80; and 66–8; solidarity of 27; younger 66; illness 76, 77–8; invisible danger in see also dangerous groups 80–1; organisation of 74; and Guadalajara (Mexico) 182, 184, 185, perception of danger in 76–7; 189–91 sharing of work in 76; smells in 75–6 Lancaster, R. 133, 135, 136 Hagell, A. and Newburn, T. 65 Lawrinson, S. and Harris, J. 61 Hearn, J. 107 Le Bon, G. 151 Heidenshohn, F. 33 Lee, A.M. 149 Hobbs, D. 33, 58 Lee, R.M. 17, 28, 67, 72, 116, 181, Hochschild, A.R. 89, 101, 115, 128 182, 184, 197 Hockey, J. 28 Lee-Treweek, G. 114, 116 Holdaway, S. 27, 31 Letherby, G. 92, 99; and Zdrodowski, Holliday, R. et al. 103 D. 99–100 Homan, R. 1, 15, 17, 19, 199 Local Education Authorities (LEAs) hooks, b. 96 171 Howell, N. 69 Local Politics of Race project 170–2, Humphreys, L. 199 178 Hurd, T.L. and McIntyre, A. 95 Lofland, J. and Lofland, L. 149 Ignatiev, N. 173 Lovatt, A.: and O’Conner, J. 44; and Iles, T. 96 Purkis, J. 56 Luhrmann, T.M. 152 James, N. 101, 102, 115, 128 Lukes, S. 73 James, P. 11 Jipson, A. and Becker, P. 161 McCarthy, J. and Zald, M. 151 Jones, S. 33 Mack, M. 11 Jorgensen, D.L. 150 Mackenzie, C. 32 MacLean, N. 150 Karp, D. and Yoels, W. 16 McMahon, M. 96, 109 Katz, W. 150 McRobbie, A. 101 Katz Rothman, B. 106 McVicar, J. 58 Kelly, L. et al. 95 March, R. 143 King, M. and Hunt, R. 149 Mariátegui, J.C. 141

chapter |1 pages

Mars, G. 55 testing of researcher in 125–6; value Mason, J. 63 of work in 124–6 Maynard, M. 32, 101 Meerabeau, L. 100 Oakley, A. 15, 94, 97 methodologies: autobiography 21; Okely, J. 94, 96; and Callaway, H. 96 collective memory 21; covert Opie, A. 101 17–18, 46–7, 56, 164, 169–70, Owens, D. 100 198–9; desk work/fieldwork balance 57; disengagement 122; Parker, C. 134, 135, 138 formal interviews 170; in-depth Patrick, J. 58 interviews 117; interest in 92–3; Payne, G. et al. 92 non-participant 117; participant Pearson, G. 35, 64 observation 21, 34–6, 39, 137–40, Peritore, N.P. 28 142–4, 170–1; physical danger 3, 8–9, 43, 61–2, 132, qualitative/quantitative 13, 14, 21, 147, 203; in communities under 23, 61–2, 87, 115, 117, 129–30, threat 11; experience of 74–81; and 147, 149; reflexive 12, 16, 56–7, extremism 156, 163; gender 89, 114, 116, 143, 144; symbolic 20 dynamics of 12; and health 11–12; Milgram, S. 17 intimidation/destabilisation 137; Morgan, D. 18, 38, 57 negotiation of 67–8; and Morris, S. 45 participant-observer role 137–40; Mungham, G. 50 participant/researcher sharing of Mykhalovskiy, E. 108 12–13; personal 11–12; preparation for/anticipation of 69–70, 72; National Front 56 reduction in 62–3; at religious New Religious Movements (NRMs) festival 137–42; on the streets 148, 150, 153, 154, 162, 163 10–11; threat of 68; vs psychological New Reproductive Technologies 184–6; and vulnerability of (NRTs) 92 researcher 63–4 nursing home 114–15; as policing 26–7, 40–1; and bouncers 48, alien/unsettling 118; 49, 51; and cult of masculinity 31; contamination/escape from 126–7; danger 26, 27–9, 32; and danger emotional strains in 123–4; initial from above 37–9; enduring emotional responses to 118–23; fieldwork in 29–32; and fear 32, membership issues 119–23; negative 33–7; and gender identity 26, 27, feelings for 126–7; punishment 28, 33–4, 40; and group solidarity strategies 121–2; researcher/staff 27; insider/outsider relationship interaction 119–20; setting of 117; 27–8, 35, 38, 40; and local staff/patient interaction 119, population 34–6; and protectiveness 121–2, 125; structure of 118; and 28–9, 36; research sites 27; seeing

chapter |1 pages

the unpleasant 31–2; and showing ‘going native’ 185–6; impact of 172; ‘bottle’ 30–1, 34–7; and special interest in process of 92–3; status 31; and volatility of emotions interview roles in 98–9; 28 involvement/subjectivity 93–7; professional danger 6–7, 8, 68–9, long-term consequences 43; and 168–9; and acceptability of minimisation of threat 63, 70; and research/methodology 20–1; networking 89–90, 202; nomadic defined 20; and extremism 158–60; 52–3; as non-neutral act 143–4; as insidious 23; and power normative model 93; and relationships 21–2; and publication permanency of employment 68–9; 22–3 and position of ‘stranger within’ psychological danger 184–6 105; and presentation of Punch, M. 28 auto/biography 106–8, 109–10; about private/personal issues 97; race 199 200; groups 19; research into relationships 97–100, 105; and 179; socially constructed concept of self/other equation 99–100; and 175 solidarity with group being studied Racialists 148, 150, 152, 153, 154, 36–7; solitary nature of 88, 89, 120, 156, 157, 158, 159, 162 126, 145, 156, 202; sub-aqua 55; Ramazanoglu, C. 95 support structures for 103–4, 118, Ramsay, K. 104 125, 128–9, 130, 145, 202; Reiner, R. 28, 31, 34 vulnerability in 63–4 religious festival see Santo Domingo Resistance Records 176 festival Ribbens, J. 92, 94, 95, 98; and Renzetti, C.M. and Lee, R.M. 61 Edwards, R. 95 research: academic validity/reliability Richardson, J.T. 150, 151, 152 149, 158–60, 163; and risk society 9–10 accountability 178–9; analysis of risk/danger: assessment of 201–2; data 149–50; and concern for avoidance of 198; awareness of 198; participant 116; cultural construction of 186–9; contamination/escape 126–7; cross-fluidity of 181, 182–4, 203–4; cultural 132; as danger 189–92; and gendered aspects 199; as integral danger of exploitation 105; and part of fieldwork 194; notions of dangerous fieldwork 115–18; 194–5; as pedagogy 181–2, 192–4; distance/denial 121–3; emotional and placement of actor 188–9; and experience in 114–15; enduring researcher/participant distinction fieldwork 29–32; 197, 199; shifting notions of 181, ethnomethodologically-inspired 184–6; and time 187–8; as 46–7; and experience of fear 33–7, worthwhile 198–200; see also danger 40–1; and funding for 69, 89; and Roedinger, D. 175

chapter |1 pages

Rogers, G. 101 Snow, D. and Bedford, R. 151 Rowe, W. and Schelling, V. 136 Social Work and Criminal Justice 62 Social Work Research Centre (SWRC) safety 197–8; basic measures for 70; 62 designing studies for 62–3; ensuring Song, M. and Parker, D. 169 200–2; in the field 191; interview Speier, M. 149 precautions 65–6; personal Spradley, J. 149 provision for 80–1; and the Stacey, J. 108 researcher 69 Stanley, L. 16, 94, 104; and Wise, S. Said, E. 174 32, 57, 94–5, 107, 143 Santo Domingo festival: commercial Stanton, B. 151 dimension 136; costume and Staples, C. and Mauss, A. 151 greasing 136–7; danger in 133–4; Steier, F. 93 described 134–7; emotional danger at 141–2; equestrian parades 140–1; Temple, B. 100 ethical danger at 142–4; indigenous Thompson, J. 152 culture/European Catholicism in Tilly, C. 151 135–6; levels of participation in Touraine, A. 151 137–40; male/female participation Trejos Ubau, B. 134 in 138–40; meaning of icons in Turner, B.S. 32 134–5; outsider/participant Turner, R. and Killian, L. 151 relationship 133; physical danger at Uildriks, N. and van Mastrigt, H. 28, 137–42; watching/watched roles in 40 142–3 University of Stirling 62 Scarce, R. 18–19, 200 urban plunges 182, 192–3 Scientology movement 22–3, 43 Scott, A. 32 Van Maanen, J. 38–9, 58 Scott, S. 19, 20, 21–2; and Porter, M. 102 Walklate, S. 33 Scottish Office 62 Wallis, R. 17, 22–3, 43 Shaffir, W.B. 100; and Stebbins, R. 149, Walsh, D. 39 152 Warren, C.A.B. 12, 102 Sharrock, W. 58 Wax, M. 199 Shilling, C. 32 Weber, M. 93 Short, J.F. and Wolfgang, M.E. 58 Westmarland, L. 26 Skeggs, B. 108 whiteness: endangered 172–4; ethnic Slack, R. 56 dimension 174, 176; fascist elements Sluka, J.A. 28, 55, 64 176–7; liberal progressive views Smelser, N. 151 178; politically strategic role of Smith, D.J. 107; and Gray, J. 31 174–5; problems concerning 175–6;

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