Qualitative Interviews with Vulnerable Groups

Qualitative research methods are often used in the social sciences to learn more about the world and are often considered to be particularly appropriate for people who might be considered vulnerable. The goal of this course is to encourage students to think critically about the concept of 'vulnerability'; to offer a practical guide to conducting qualitative research that responds to the vulnerabilities of participants and researchers; and to explore ways of challenging and resisting research practices that could be extractive or harmful. It will be highly discursive and will draw throughout on ‘real life’ research examples. The course will be of interest to students who are conducting, or planning to conduct, research with a group considered vulnerable, and will also be of interest to students who want to critically engage with such research in their field.

For a more detailed outline of each session please see the 'Learning Outcomes' section below.

Content warning: Throughout, the course will cover the experience and effects of different forms of trauma. The first session will touch on the lecturer's research with people affected by criminal exploitation.

Content warnings for other sessions will be raised at the end of the preceding session and emailed, where necessary. If you have any concerns you would like to raise with me regarding these matters, please do email the lecturer.

• University Students from Tier 1 Departments
• Further details regarding eligibility criteria are available here

Number of sessions: 3

Session One: Critical approaches to 'vulnerability'

To critically evaluate the utility of ‘vulnerability’ as a concept in qualitative research; to think about the ways in which certain forms of research can produce or exploit vulnerability.

Session Two: Doing research with people who are considered 'vulnerable'

To discuss practical considerations in relation to qualitative research with people who are considered 'vulnerable'; to experiment with different approaches to research design and practice in a safe and supportive environment; to develop and appraise your practical interview skills.

Session Three: Vulnerability and representation

To think about how questions of vulnerability play out in the process of analysing and writing, and to think about how who the audience is shapes how we write ethically and rigorously

Throughout all three sessions: to develop criteria for high quality research that addresses issues of ‘vulnerability’

There is no mandatory reading for the class, but a short reading list will be added to Moodle before the beginning of Lent 2023.

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