ABSTRACT
Once agreement on a research project has been reached between sponsors and researchers both sides have their own expectations of outcomes. Orlans has suggested that many of the ethical and practical problems of research can be foreseen and should be negotiated and resolved before the work is begun. Warwick’s and Jaeger’s experiences throw into relief the vulnerability of the researcher in the context of sponsored research. In terms of academic freedom and career security the growing proportion of research sponsored or funded by policy-making bodies, whether public or private, raises anxieties about contributions to knowledge and the future development of the social science disciplines. The data with which Warwick’s funding agency had problems was that relating to population agency personnel and policy-makers in the foreign nations studied. It was clear to Jaeger that it was her findings about staff policies which embarrassed her employers.
