ABSTRACT
Is it possible to measure the extent of pain inflicted on humanity in the name of protecting national borders? What is legality, and how are human actions made illegal? Are we always right to do research, or are some social phenomena better left unexamined? For whom are numbers important and why? This chapter explores the integrated nature of methodological and ethical considerations involved in conducting research on criminal justice in the era of mass migration. Drawing on experiences and challenges from our own projects, we examine some of the challenges of identifying relevant sources of data and populations for study. We warn against uncritically adapting administrative categories that, we suggest, contribute to harmful practices and maintain the status quo of marginalized groups.
