Ethnographic research techniques are well regarded as a way to elicit detailed
understandings of human interaction. They are particularly useful for examining
‘deviant’ cultures and the dynamics of illegal activity. Though, ethnographic
research on illegal activity can be ‘messy’. This paper reports some practical
and ethical issues encountered while carrying out an ethnographic study of drug
use and drug selling among ‘rave’ dance participants in London. In particular it
addresses the issue of using friendship to assist the research relationship and
the use of a semi-covert style of research. Connected to this, it touches on the
emotional work of the fieldworker whilst undertaking ‘sensitive’ research. It
makes a timely contribution to discussions of ‘reflexivity’ in the research
process, as well as the discourse on social sciences research governance. It
argues the standardized codes of ethical conduct can not easily be translated to
ethnographic research on criminal activity, such as drug use and drug
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