The case study crisis

The case study crisis refers to a situation where the use of detailed individual stories or examples (case studies) in research or reporting creates ethical concerns, such as privacy violations or biased representation. It highlights tensions between presenting real-world insights and protecting personal confidentiality. In some instances, the reliance on case studies may also lead to overgeneralization or misinterpretation of findings. This crisis urges researchers to balance the value of contextual, specific examples with responsibilities for ethical integrity and accurate, responsible communication of data.