From field to self: (in)sensitivities encountered in researching sexual harassment in Sri Lankan workplaces

Arosha S. Adikaram

Chapter 23 in Handbook of Sensitive Research in the Social Sciences, 2025, pp 339-353 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The purpose of this chapter is to present a reflective account of the (in)sensitivities and the associated challenges encountered in the long run when conducting sensitive research on the topic of sexual harassment at workplaces in Sri Lanka, a South Asian developing country with strict patriarchal values and strictures. Through self-reflection and critical analysis, I illuminate how my involvement in researching this significant workplace issue—considered controversial and taboo—for close to two decades as a career researcher/academic has triggered certain (in)sensitivities that impact my personal and professional life as a woman, researcher, an activist and an academic. I recount my sensitivities about the outcome of my research, questioning whether I have made a sufficient impact for positive change. I also revisit my sensitivities about how I am perceived as academically less worthy, how others perceive me as a woman, the potential insensitivity I feel towards my participants, and the lingering biases and judgements I may still harbour despite years of research engagement. With reflections on these insensitivities and struggles, I delve into some of the concealed or overlooked facets of researcher sensitivities beyond the field that are often dismissed or insufficiently explored.

Keywords: Sensitive research; Sensitivities; Sexual harassment; Reflections; Women; Emotions; Emotional labour; Professional image (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035315222
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