Conducting Research with Vulnerable Populations

Over the last decade, Madeline Toubiana and Trish Ruebottom have spent time studying a variety of vulnerable groups in society. During this research, they came to realize that many of the standard methodological guidelines did not provide the guidance they needed to navigate such field work. Working together they have developed a series of strategies to support researchers working with vulnerable groups (Sharma, Toubiana, Lashley, Massa, Rogers & Ruebottom, 2023; Rogers, Toubiana, & DeCelles, 2015). In this workshop, they will discuss the tips and tricks they learned during two pivotal research projects. They will share how they mobilized social media and navigated in-person interactions in the sex industry, the role of emotions and emotional labour in the prison sector, and their plans for their latest project with LGBT and women in the trades.