Cross-language, sensitive research with refugees

Meabh McAuley, Dr Birgit Schippers

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

There is little academic discourse aimed at tackling the heightened ethical dilemmas that occur when undertaking cross-language and sensitive research with refugees in the context of IR. This chapter addresses this omission by drawing from ethics-based literature across multiple disciplines, as well as my own experiences of interpreter collaboration. My aim is to highlight the complex methodological and ethical challenges that exist when interviewing vulnerable populations in cross-language contexts, and to offer practical and transferable solutions for qualitative researchers.

Specifically, I focus on the preferred credentials of interpreters, their role and visibility during the research process and the wider ethical implications. These include barriers to confidentiality and anonymity, potential loss of meaning, translation bias and crucially, any physical, psychological and/or emotional impact that may occur when discussing sensitive topics, including the risk of traumatization. I conclude by arguing that despite the plentiful challenges that exist, cross-language researchers can conduct sensitive research ethically and in a manner that reflects the narratives of interviewees.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Routledge Handbook to Rethinking Ethics in International Relations
EditorsBirgit Schippers
PublisherRoutledge
Chapter12
Pages160-176
Number of pages16
ISBN (Electronic)9781315613529
ISBN (Print)9781472479693
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • sensitive research
  • cross-language research
  • Ethics, Research
  • Refugees
  • Feminist theory
  • interviews
  • Qualitative analysis
  • Qualitative Interviewing

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