Survival of the Fastest: Ethical Dilemmas in Research with ‘Boy Racers’

Lumsden, Karen

Abstract

This article grapples with the ethical dilemmas of youth research, and more specifically ‘edgework’, via an experiential account of fieldwork with ‘boy racers’ in Aberdeen, Scotland. ‘Edgework’ is ethically problematic for those who wish to conduct fieldwork with youths. By engaging in ‘edgework’, researchers can find themselves unwittingly drawn into the deviant activities of youths, as deviance slowly becomes the norm through prolonged immersion in their social world. ‘Edgework’ also blurs the line between insider and outsider status, threatening the researcher’s ability to step back from the field and critically reflect on their experiences. Furthermore, the experiential aspect of the ‘edgework’ method is called to the fore since the researcher’s experiences of risky behaviours (in terms of discomfort) differed from those of the researched (in terms of pleasure).

Citation

Lumsden, K. (2013). Survival of the Fastest: Ethical Dilemmas in Research with ‘Boy Racers’. Young, 21(3), 273-288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1103308813488814

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Aug 12, 2013
• Publication Date: Aug 12, 2013
• Deposit Date: Oct 10, 2019
• Journal: YOUNG
• Print ISSN: 1103-3088
• Electronic ISSN: 1741-3222
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 273-288
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1103308813488814
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2797720
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/youa/21/3