Researching ‘dangerous’ and ‘problematic’ populations: some methodological reflections
Abstract
Ethnography has been an important research method that has given insight into ‘dangerous’ and ‘problematic’ populations. Yet, ethnographic methods with such populations are increasingly rare as the governance of social science research takes on an ever more intensified ‘risk assessment’ approach. Based on projects that made use of ethnographic methods undertaken from 2004 to 2008, this paper will try to offer some methodological reflections on working with ‘dangerous’ and ‘problematic’ populations such as mentally ill adults, those with antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs), crack cocaine users and gangs. It will call for greater consideration to be given to the use of ethnographic methods with such populations to inform policy and practice.
Keywords
Citation
Briggs, D. (2010), "Researching ‘dangerous’ and ‘problematic’ populations: some methodological reflections", Safer Communities, Vol. 9 No. 3, pp. 49-59. https://doi.org/10.5042/sc.2010.0395
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited