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Methodological Considerations and Challenges to Conducting Research on Interethnic Relationships: Using the Right Toolkit!
Author(s) -
CraigHenderson Kellina,
Lewis Richard
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/josi.12143
Subject(s) - identification (biology) , focus (optics) , research methodology , qualitative research , focus group , sociology , psychology , engineering ethics , social psychology , management science , social science , population , engineering , physics , botany , demography , anthropology , optics , biology
This article discusses the methodological issues and challenges associated with research examining interethnic relationships and marriage. A major focus of this article is on the identification and classification of interethnic marriages. A second aim of the article is to explore the specific challenges faced by researchers who study these types of relationships. The third and final focus of the article is on reliable and specific guidance for researchers engaged in interethnic relationships research. The article provides an overview of specific methodological matters in conducting research on interethnic relationships and marriage including research design, sampling constraints, self‐classification labels versus other labels, comfort in discussing or disclosing what may be perceived to be a sensitive issue, as well as the in‐group or out‐group status of the researcher. More generally, by presenting a discussion of both qualitative and quantitative methods for research in this area and the limitations of each, we provide a “tool kit” of helpful guidance to those engaged in this type of research.