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The use of instant messaging in sensitive research

Jordan Dawson Orcid Logo, Yibo Fan

Handbook of Sensitive Research in the Social Sciences, Volume: 1, Pages: 184 - 197

Swansea University Author: Jordan Dawson Orcid Logo

Abstract

There are various means of communicating available to researchers interested in sensitive subjects. Amongst these means are contemporary tools such as Instant Messaging (IM), which enable remote communication between parties using internet-enabled devices. By reflecting on the authors experiences of...

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Published in: Handbook of Sensitive Research in the Social Sciences
ISBN: 9781035315222 9781035315239
Published: Edward Elgar Publishing 2025
Online Access: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035315239
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa66416
first_indexed 2025-01-30T16:02:05Z
last_indexed 2025-08-06T07:28:50Z
id cronfa66416
recordtype SURis
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spelling 2025-08-05T13:54:37.7421939 v2 66416 2024-05-14 The use of instant messaging in sensitive research 7b6cc0d8ff8d5b1ba67bc2e9bb80d901 0000-0002-5462-4295 Jordan Dawson Jordan Dawson true false 2024-05-14 SOSS There are various means of communicating available to researchers interested in sensitive subjects. Amongst these means are contemporary tools such as Instant Messaging (IM), which enable remote communication between parties using internet-enabled devices. By reflecting on the authors experiences of using IM in performing interviews on potentially sensitive subjects, this chapter considers its use in sensitive subject research more broadly. The chapter considers the impact that including IM as a means of interviewing may have on initial participant engagement, the conversation(s) between researcher and participant, and on the outputs of said conversations. In these various stages, IM provides a means through which participants may be enabled to engage with research processes in ways which they may otherwise be reluctant to, and includes tools through which elements of in-person communication may be replicated. These discussions, amongst others held within, suggest that whilst there are some important considerations which must be made by researchers adopting this method, IM can be a useful tool within sensitive subject research. Book chapter Handbook of Sensitive Research in the Social Sciences 1 184 197 Edward Elgar Publishing 9781035315222 9781035315239 18 3 2025 2025-03-18 https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035315239 COLLEGE NANME Social Sciences School COLLEGE CODE SOSS Swansea University Other 2025-08-05T13:54:37.7421939 2024-05-14T15:05:04.9686115 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy Jordan Dawson 0000-0002-5462-4295 1 Yibo Fan 2
title The use of instant messaging in sensitive research
spellingShingle The use of instant messaging in sensitive research
Jordan Dawson
title_short The use of instant messaging in sensitive research
title_full The use of instant messaging in sensitive research
title_fullStr The use of instant messaging in sensitive research
title_full_unstemmed The use of instant messaging in sensitive research
title_sort The use of instant messaging in sensitive research
author_id_str_mv 7b6cc0d8ff8d5b1ba67bc2e9bb80d901
author_id_fullname_str_mv 7b6cc0d8ff8d5b1ba67bc2e9bb80d901_***_Jordan Dawson
author Jordan Dawson
author2 Jordan Dawson
Yibo Fan
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container_title Handbook of Sensitive Research in the Social Sciences
container_volume 1
container_start_page 184
publishDate 2025
institution Swansea University
isbn 9781035315222
9781035315239
publisher Edward Elgar Publishing
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy
url https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035315239
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description There are various means of communicating available to researchers interested in sensitive subjects. Amongst these means are contemporary tools such as Instant Messaging (IM), which enable remote communication between parties using internet-enabled devices. By reflecting on the authors experiences of using IM in performing interviews on potentially sensitive subjects, this chapter considers its use in sensitive subject research more broadly. The chapter considers the impact that including IM as a means of interviewing may have on initial participant engagement, the conversation(s) between researcher and participant, and on the outputs of said conversations. In these various stages, IM provides a means through which participants may be enabled to engage with research processes in ways which they may otherwise be reluctant to, and includes tools through which elements of in-person communication may be replicated. These discussions, amongst others held within, suggest that whilst there are some important considerations which must be made by researchers adopting this method, IM can be a useful tool within sensitive subject research.
published_date 2025-03-18T05:20:13Z
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