Can someone help me?

[CM212]

Hello, I am a third year student at University studying philosophy, religion and ethics. I am looking to write a dissertation this year on the experiences of female converts to Islam (why you have converted and what changes you have subsequently made) . If anyone would be able to help by detailing their experiences in an interview setting with me (could be in person, over the phone or via zoom-whichever you would be most comfortable with) this would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping to secure participants within the next few days so that I am able to meet with my supervisor and confirm my topic (although I appreciate this is short notice!) Thank you in advance. Please reply to this thread if you are able to help!

Can’t help with your research - but I’m wondering whether you’ve checked this project out thoroughly with your university department. I’d be surprised if there aren’t a host of forms you have to fill in first, confirming the ethical safeguards you’ll have in place for interviewees.

I could be wrong, but that’s how things work in my occupation.

I agree with @EdmontinaDonsAutumnalHues unless you are just finding out in advance whether there might a pool of people who would be willing to volunteer, in which case you shouldn't be asking them any more than that at this stage. You can't start interviewing people until you have had the project approved by an ethics committee and the interviewees have signed a consent form, based on full information about the purpose of the study, their right to withdraw, etc.

You could get into trouble with your university if you don't do this properly. Given the sensitive nature of what you want to interview people about, this could easily get into the media. If that happens and you haven't got appropriate approval your supervisor and the university will get into big trouble.

You definitely need to look at the ethics first. A colleague of mine had an undergraduate final year project proposal (the student's idea, not hers) looking at FGM turned down, it might not have been at post grad though, but it was deemed to be inappropriate for UG level, and yours might too. Speak to your departmental Ethics Chair.

This should all have been made clear in your dissertation module guidance handbook and it is worrying if it hasn't.