Doing Sensitive Research Sensitively: Ethical and Methodological Issues in Researching Workplace Bullying

Complex ethical and methodological issues can sometimes arise when conducting researchinto sensitive topics. By employing an autobiographic approach to explore the personaldilemmas that arose for the author while undertaking doctoral research on workplacebullying in Irish education, this article highlights potential difficulties and tensions whichmay arise for researchers (particularly those at the beginning of their careers) whenconducting sensitive research. Specific attention is paid to the importance of protecting theresearcher from harm, the exiting of the research relationship in an appropriate manner, and the necessity of anticipating potential problems before they become manifest.