Shared risks and research dilemmas on a peace brigades international team in Sri Lanka

Peace Brigades International (PBI) is a nongovernmental organization that p rovides nonviolent protective accompaniment in situations of severe politic al violence for local activists under threat. PBI team members function as unarmed bodyguards, attempting to deter violence by their presence or to do cument it and raise the costs to the transgressors if the deterrence fails. Blending ethnographic research of PBI with simultaneous service on a PBI t eam in Sri Lanka created a host of ethical quandaries and dilemmas. This ar ticle explains and analyzes some of these problems, including the use of po litically sensitive research material, participation in team meetings and t eam decisions with life-threatening consequences for others, the acceptance of a salary from the organization under study, and embracing or refusing r isks as a participant observer/team member who had more than one agenda.