"This book is a comprehensive guide to the methodological, ethical and practical issues involved in undertaking research on sensitive topics." "Ray Lee's authoritative introduction to the subject addresses the question of what makes research contentious. He considers the relationship between research and issues of social or political power, the capacity of research to encroach on people's lives, and the potential implications researching sensitive topics may have for the researcher. Covering both quantitative and qualitative methods, Doing Research on Sensitive Topics offers practical advice on such key questions as the choice of methodologies for sensitive research; the problems of estimating the size of hidden populations; questions of sampling, surveying and interviewing; and sensitivity in the access process and in the handling of data." "The book also covers the political and ethical problems inherent in the relations between the researcher and the researched, and in the disclosure, dissemination and publication of research." "Accessible, broad ranging, and full of invaluable advice, this book will be essential reading for all those engaged in social research across a wide range of disciplines."--BOOK JACKET.