Workshop: Erhao Ge – Sensitive topics in the field

Sensitive topics encompass subjects such as mental health, witchcraft accusations, forced marriage, son preference, and certain aspects of religious rituals. These topics are often linked to harm and are a focus for various organizations seeking to mitigate it. As anthropologists, we concentrate on uncovering the causes and mechanisms behind these cultural behaviours. However, studying these topics presents challenges. First, their sensitive nature necessitates additional ethical considerations in research planning, especially if there's a risk to participants or if the topics are illegal. Second, data collection can be problematic if participants conceal their true beliefs or misreport their behaviours. In this workshop, I aim to discuss my experiences and insights on designing questions for more accurate measurement and data collection, as well as to explore better methods for framing and presenting results.