Researching Vulnerable Groups: Definitions, Controversies, Dilemmas, and the Researcher’s Personal Entanglement

Urszula Kluczyńska; Anna Maria Kłonkowska; Małgorzata Bieńkowska

doi:10.18778/1733-8077.20.1.02

Authors

Urszula Kluczyńska Collegium Da Vinci, Poland
Anna Maria Kłonkowska University of Gdańsk, Poland
Małgorzata Bieńkowska University of Bialystok, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9669-6089

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.20.1.02

Keywords:

Vulnerability, Vulnerable Group, Vulnerable Population, Vulnerable Person, Ethical Dilemma, Methodological Dilemma, Qualitative Research, Researcher, In-Group Perspective, Me-Search

Abstract

The article aims to describe vulnerable groups in the context of qualitative research in social science with special attention to ethical and methodological dilemmas. This is a theoretical study, which does not aspire to offer solutions or guidelines, but rather show elements worth taking notice of and analyzing when research is planned and carried out. We argue that in the social sciences, vulnerability is relational and crucial. However, social science researchers perceive the category of vulnerability as ambiguous and nuanced. This article shows that ascribing research participants univocally to a vulnerable group may lead not only to them being stereotyped and deprived of individuality but also to a situation where the research act itself disempowers them. We also argue that apart from issues often raised concerning the protection of participants from vulnerable groups, the researcher and their protection are also pivotal, particularly when the researcher, due to their involvement, abandons the out-group perspective or when they belong to the vulnerable group.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Urszula Kluczyńska, Collegium Da Vinci, Poland

Urszula Kluczyńska is a graduate of both sociology and pedagogy and an associate professor at Collegium Da Vinci in Poznan, Poland. Her research interests are focused on critical studies of men and masculinities, with particular emphasis on men’s health, aging, sexuality, caring masculinities, medicalization of masculinity, and qualitative research. She is the author of the following books: Mężczyźni w pielęgniarstwie. W stronę męskości opiekuńczej [Men in Nursing. Caring Masculinities] (UMP Poznan 2017) and Metamorfozy tożsamości współczesnych młodych mężczyzn [Metamorphoses of Men’s Identities in Contemporary Culture] (Adam Marszałek 2009), and co-author of Poza schematem. Społeczny konstrukt płci i seksualości [Beyond the Scheme. Social Construction of Gender and Sexuality] (with Wiktor Dynarski and Anna M. Kłonkowska) (Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego 2016). She is also a co-editor of Special Issues and an author of numerous articles on men and masculinities published in books and journals. She is a member of the Polish Sociological Association and the Polish Gender Association.
Anna Maria Kłonkowska, University of Gdańsk, Poland

Anna Maria Kłonkowska is an associate professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Gdansk (UG) and deputy Chair of the Research Ethics Committee at the UG. She is a sociologist, psychologist, and philosopher. Anna Kłonkowska is a recipient of the Chair in Transgender Studies Research Fellowship for Visiting University-based Scholars and Professionals (The Transgender Archives, University of Victoria), the Fulbright Foundation Senior Research Award (Stony Brook University), NAWA Bekker Program Research Award (Stony Brook University), Kosciuszko Foundation Fellowship (Stony Brook University), Bednarowski Trust Fellowship (University of Aberdeen), and the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst Fellowship (Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg). A visiting scholar in the CSMM at the State University of New York in 2013, 2016-17, 2019-20; Ambassador of the Fulbright Program in Poland.
Małgorzata Bieńkowska, University of Bialystok, Poland

Małgorzata Bieńkowska is a sociologist, head of the Department of Sociology of Culture, Faculty of Sociology, University of Bialystok. Her research interests are focused on the category of the other, multiculturalism, and family life in the borderland. She conducts mainly qualitative research. The author of numerous articles on transgenderism, multiculturalism, and ethnic relations. She published the book Transseksualizm w Polsce. Wymiar indywidualny i społeczny przekraczania binarnego systemu płci [Transsexualism in Poland. Social and Individual Dimensions of Transgressing the Gender Binary] (Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku 2012).

References

Aldridge, Jo. 2014. “Working with Vulnerable Groups in Social Research: Dilemmas by Default and Design.” Qualitative Research 14(1):112-130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794112455041

Altenmüller, Marlene Sophie, Leonia Lucia Lange, and Mario Gollwitzer. 2021. “When Research Is Me-Search: How Researchers’ Motivation to Pursue a Topic Affects Laypeople’s Trust in Science.” PLoS ONE 16(7):e0253911. Retrieved May 20, 2022 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0253911 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253911

Bielecka-Prus, Joanna. 2014. “Po co nam autoetnografia? Krytyczna analiza autoetnografii jako metody badawczej [What Is Autoethnography Good For? Critical Analysis of Autoethnography as Research Method].” Przegląd Socjologii Jakościowej 10(3):76-95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8069.10.3.04

Bourdieu, Pierre and Loïc J. D. Wacquant. 2001. Zaproszenie do socjologii refleksyjnej [An Invitation to Reflexive Sociology]. Warsaw: Oficyna Naukowa.

Brazier, Margaret and Mary Lobjoit, eds. 1991. Protecting the Vulnerable: Autonomy and Consent in Health Care. London: Routledge.

Brown, Stephen and Anthony Patterson. 2021. “Me-Search? Search Me! A New Twist in the Tale of Introspection.” Journal of Marketing Management 37(13/14):1343-1373. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2021.1928268

del Real Alcalá, J. Alberto. 2017. Human Rights Issues and Vulnerable Groups. Sharjah: Bentham Science Publishers. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2174/97816810857601170101

Devendorf, Andrew R. 2022. “Is ‘Me-Search’ a Kiss of Death in Mental Health Research?” Psychological Services 19(1):49-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000507

Domańska, Monika. 2018. “People with Disabilities as a Vulnerable Group. The Concept of Protection of the Rights of Vulnerable Groups.” Białostockie Studia Prawnicze 23(4):25-34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15290/bsp.2018.23.04.02

Ducoulombier, Peggy. 2015. “The Protection of Sexual Minorities in European Law.” Pp. 201-223 in Protecting Vulnerable Groups: The European Human Rights Framework, edited by F. Ippolito and S. Iglesias Sánchez. Oxford: Hart Publishing.

Dwyer, Sonya C. and Jennifer L. Buckle. 2009. “The Space Between: On Being an Insider-Outsider in Qualitative Research.” International Journal of Qualitative Methods 8(1):54-63. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690900800105

Edward, Mark. 2018a. Mesearch and the Performing Body. London: Palgrave Pivot. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69998-1

Edward, Mark. 2018b. “Between Dance and Detention: Ethical Considerations of ‘Mesearch’ in Performance.” Pp. 161-173 in The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research Ethics, edited by R. Iphofen and M. Tolich. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington, Melbourne: Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526435446.n11

Ellis, Carolyn, Tony E. Adams, and Arthur P. Bochner. 2011. “Autoethnography: An Overview.” Forum: Qualitative Social Research 12(1):Art. 10. Retrieved August 20, 2022 http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1101108

Fineman, Martha Albertson. 2008. “The Vulnerable Subject: Anchoring Equality in the Human Condition.” Yale Journal of Law and Feminism 20(1):1-23.

Fines, Francette. 2015. “European Protection for Women.” Pp. 95-111 in Protecting Vulnerable Groups: The European Human Rights Framework, edited by F. Ippolito and S. Iglesias Sánchez. Oxford: Hart Publishing.

Gibbs, Anita. 2018. “Ethical Issues When Undertaking Autoethnographic Research with Families.” Pp. 148-160 in The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research Ethics, edited by R. Iphofen and M. Tolich. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington, Melbourne: Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526435446.n10

Hale, Jacob. 1997. Suggested Rules for Non-Transsexuals Writing about Transsexuals, Transsexuality, Transsexualism, or Trans. Retrieved May 20, 2019 https://hivdatf.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/suggested-rules-for-non-modified.pdf

Hammersley, Martyn. 2018. “Values in Social Research.” Pp. 23-34 in The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research Ethics, edited by R. Iphofen and M. Tolich. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington, Melbourne: Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526435446.n2

Hollway, Wendy and Tony Jefferson. 2000. Doing Qualitative Research Differently: Free Association, Narrative, and the Interview Method. London: Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781849209007

Iphofen, Ron. 2009. Ethical Decision-Making in Social Research: A Practical Guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Iphofen, Ron and Martin Tolich, eds. 2018. The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research Ethics. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington, Melbourne: Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526435446

Ippolito, Francesca and Sara Iglesias Sánchez. 2015a. “Introduction.” Pp. 1-20 in Protecting Vulnerable Groups: The European Human Rights Framework, edited by F. Ippolito and S. Iglesias Sánchez. Oxford: Hart Publishing.

Ippolito, Francesca and Sara Iglesias Sánchez, eds. 2015b. Protecting Vulnerable Groups: The European Human Rights Framework. Oxford: Hart Publishing.

Jecker, Nancy S. 2004. “Protecting the Vulnerable.” The American Journal of Bioethics 4(3):60-62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15265160490497128

Kacperczyk, Anna. 2014a. “Od redaktora: Autoetnografia – w stronę humanizacji nauki [Autoethnography—Towards the Humanization of Science].” Przegląd Socjologii Jakościowej 10(3):6-13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8069.10.3.01

Kacperczyk, Anna. 2014b. „Autoetnografia – technika, metoda, nowy paradygmat? O metodologicznym statusie autoetnografii [Autoethnography—Technique, Method, or New Paradigm? On Methodological Status of Autoethnography].” Przegląd Socjologii Jakościowej 10(3):32-74. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8069.10.3.03

Kodeks Etyki Socjologa [Code of Ethics of a Sociologist]. 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2021 https://pts.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/kodeks.pdf

Konecki, Krzysztof. 2021. Przekraczanie granic, zamykanie granic. Perspektywa pierwszoosobowa w badaniach socjologicznych [Crossing Borders, Closing Borders. First-Person Perspective in Sociological Research]. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo IFiS PAN.

Larkin, Mary. 2009. Vulnerable Groups in Health and Social Care. London: Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446279472

Lee, Raymond M. and Claire M. Renzetti. 1990. “The Problems of Researching Sensitive Topics: An Overview and Introduction.” American Behavioral Scientist 33(5):510-528. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764290033005002

Levine, Carol et al. 2004. “The Limitations of ‘Vulnerability’ as a Protection for Human Research Participants.” The American Journal of Bioethics 4(3):44-49. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15265160490497083

Levine, Eleanor K. 1982. “Old People Are Not All Alike: Social Class, Ethnicity/Race, and Sex Are Bases for Important Differences.” Pp. 127-143 in The Ethics of Social Research Surveys and Experiments, edited by J. E. Sieber. New York, Heidelberg, Berlin: Springer-Verlag. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5719-6_6

Lofland, John et al. 2006. Analyzing Social Settings: A Guide to Qualitative Observation and Analysis. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Luxardo, Natalia, Graciela Colombo, and Gabriela Iglesias. 2011. “Methodological and Ethical Dilemmas Encountered during Field Research of Family Violence Experienced by Adolescent Women in Buenos Aires.” The Qualitative Report 16(4):984-1000.

Macklin, Ruth. 2003. “Bioethics, Vulnerability, and Protection.” Bioethics 17(5-6):1467-8519. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8519.00362

Nash, Robert and DeMethra LaSha Bradley. 2011. Me-Search and Re-Search: A Guide for Writing Scholarly Personal Narrative Manuscripts. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Raw, Laurence. 2016. “Mesearch and the Gothic Imagination.” Linguaculture 7(1):34-40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/lincu-2016-0005

Richardson, Laurel. 2001. “Getting Personal: Writing-Stories.” International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 14(1):33-38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09518390010007647

Rios, Kimberly and Zachary C. Roth. 2020. “Is ‘Me-Search’ Necessarily Less Rigorous Research? Social and Personality Psychologists’ Stereotypes of the Psychology of Religion.” Self and Identity 19(7):825-840. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2019.1690035

Rogers, Wendy and Margaret Meek Lange. 2013. “Rethinking the Vulnerability of Minority Populations in Research.” American Journal of Public Health 103(12):2141-2146. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.301200

Ruiz-Junco, Natalia and Salvador Vidal-Ortiz. 2011. “Autoethnography: The Social through the Personal.” Pp. 193-211 in New Directions in Sociology. Essays on Theory and Methodology in the 21st Century, edited by I. Zake and M. DeCesare. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company.

Russell, Cherry. 1999. “Interviewing Vulnerable Old People: Ethical and Methodological Implications of Imagining our Subjects.” Journal of Aging Studies 13(4):403-418. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0890-4065(99)00018-3

Shaw, Rhonda M. et al. 2020. “Ethics and Positionality in Qualitative Research with Vulnerable and Marginal Groups.” Qualitative Research 20(3):277-293. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794119841839

Sieber, Joan E. 1992. Planning Ethically Responsible Research: Guide for Students and Internal Review Boards. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412985406

Sleat, Matt. 2013. “Responsible to Whom? Obligations to Participants and Society in Social Science Research.” Academy of Social Sciences’ Professional Briefings 3:15-18.

Van Brown, Bethany L. 2020. “Disaster Research ‘Methics’: Ethical and Methodological Considerations of Researching Disaster-Affected Populations.” American Behavioral Scientist 64(8):1050-1065. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764220938115

van den Hoonaard, Will C. 2018. “The Vulnerability of Vulnerability: Why Social Science Researchers Should Abandon the Doctrine of Vulnerability.” Pp. 305-321 in The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research Ethics, edited by R. Iphofen and M. Tolich. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington, Melbourne: Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526435446.n21

Wiklund, Johan. 2016. “Re-Search = Me-Search.” Pp. 245-257 in The Routledge Companion to the Makers of Modern Entrepreneurship, edited by D. Audretsch and E. Lehman. London: Routledge.