Experiences of Conducting Research With Vulnerable and Disempowered Participants in a Developing Country: Perspectives From a Novice Researcher

Abstract

Sensitive, emotionally laden research requires mental strength, emotional fortitude, and logistic supports for novice researchers. Little is known about the challenges that the novice researcher faces while conducting sensitive, emotionally laden research. This is exacerbated where participants of such studies have little/no idea about expressing the value of a particular research study (i.e., where the first question to arise from the participants is “what would be my benefit if I participate in your research?”). Based on the student researcher’s self-reflections, this article focuses on the inherent challenges that a researcher faced while conducting in-depth interviews among a group of emotionally vulnerable people–survivors of the disastrous Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh. It suggests how the challenges can be reduced or mitigated, and the researcher’s self-care can be ensured. It also raises important methodological questions, including whether in-depth narrative interviews are appropriate in relation to those living with significantly different cultural norms.

The Paradoxical Impacts of the Minimum Wage Implementation on Ready-made Garment (RMG) Workers: A Qualitative Study

“…The participants were recruited by following purposive and snowball sampling techniques, commonly used in previous studies on the Bangladesh RMG sector (Kabir et al 2021a , b ; Kabir et al 2019a , 2018 ; Naved et al 2018 ; Fitch et al 2017 , 2015 ; Steinisch et al 2013 ). The first author had previous work experience conducting research in Bangladesh RMG settings and maintained regular communication with the on-site contact persons (Kabir 2022 ; Kabir et al 2022 ; Kabir et al 2021a , b ; Kabir et al 2019a ; Kabir et al 2018 ), who managed the required workers for the interview purposes. Specific guidelines and unstructured questionnaires were followed to conduct in-depth interviews with both male and female workers, aged 18 and above, and having a minimum 1 year work experience in the RMG sector.…”

How can a researcher minimise causing harm when conducting interviews with particularly vulnerable children in longitudinal research?

“…Such discussions also provided us with emotional and ethical support, as sometimes hearing the personal narratives of some of our vulnerable children was emotionally taxing. This highlights the need for researchers, particularly when working with vulnerable participants or discussing sensitive topics to practise self‐care (see Garrels et al, 2022; Kabir, 2022; Kumar & Cavallaro, 2018).…”