How do you navigate sensitive historical topics professionally?

1 Know your audience

Before you start your research, think about who you are writing for and what their expectations, needs, and interests are. Different audiences may have different levels of familiarity, sensitivity, or bias towards certain historical topics. For example, if you are writing for a scholarly journal, you may need to provide more evidence, citations, and analysis than if you are writing for a popular magazine. If you are writing for a public audience, you may need to consider how your topic relates to current issues, values, or debates, and how to engage them without alienating them.

2 Do your homework

Sensitive historical topics require careful and thorough research to avoid errors, omissions, or misrepresentations. You need to consult a variety of sources, both primary and secondary, and evaluate their reliability, credibility, and perspective. You also need to acknowledge the limitations, gaps, or controversies in the historical evidence and interpretation, and explain how you reached your conclusions. You should avoid relying on stereotypes, generalizations, or assumptions, and instead use specific examples, facts, and quotes to support your arguments.

4 Be transparent and accountable

Sensitive historical topics may raise ethical questions or challenges, such as how to protect the privacy, confidentiality, or consent of your sources, how to handle sensitive or restricted data or materials, or how to address potential conflicts of interest or harm. You should be transparent and accountable for your research methods, sources, and choices, and follow the ethical guidelines and standards of your field or institution. You should also be prepared to face criticism, feedback, or questions from your audience, peers, or reviewers, and respond to them with professionalism and honesty.

5 Be creative and flexible

Sensitive historical topics can also offer opportunities for creativity and flexibility in your research. You can explore new ways of presenting, communicating, or engaging with your topic, such as using digital tools, multimedia formats, storytelling techniques, or participatory methods. You can also collaborate with other researchers, practitioners, or stakeholders who have different expertise, perspectives, or interests in your topic, and learn from their insights, experiences, or feedback. You can also adapt your research to different contexts, purposes, or audiences, and tailor your message, tone, or style accordingly.

6 Be curious and humble

Sensitive historical topics can challenge your assumptions, beliefs, or knowledge, and expose you to new ideas, questions, or discoveries. You should be curious and humble about your topic, and open to learning more, revising your arguments, or changing your mind. You should also acknowledge the complexity, uncertainty, or diversity of the past, and avoid presenting your research as definitive, objective, or universal. You should also recognize the value, relevance, or impact of your research, and how it can contribute to the understanding, appreciation, or improvement of the past, present, or future.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?