Exploring Power and Ethics in Research

1. Exploring Power and Ethics in Research What responsibilities do I have as a researcher? O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

2. Power, Politics, and Research • There is growing acceptance of the power inherent in creating knowledge • With this acceptance comes acknowledgement of the need for ethical and political awareness to be a mainstream consideration in the research process O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

3. Reality of the Researcher • The ‘reality’ of researchers including their attributes and worldview can influence the research process • Being cognizant of the researcher’s ‘reality’ is fundamental to the process O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

4. Attributes and Attitudes • Gender • Age • Ethnicity • Social status • Education • Position of power and privilege in a subculture can all affect the research process O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

5. Power, Privilege, and Self O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

6. Navigating Worldviews • We make sense of the world through the rules we are given to interpret it • For most of us this involves a Western Bias O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

7. Western Worldviews O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

8. Seeing the World through Rose Coloured Glasses • Researchers need to guard against judging the reality of others in relation to their own. If they don’t they can be: • ‘self centric’ • insensitive to race, class, culture, or gender • hear only the dominant voice • fall prey to dichotomization and double standards • disregard the power of language O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

9. Ethical Responsibilities Researchers are ethically responsible for integrity in the production of knowledge, as well as the dignity and welfare of the researched O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

10. The production of knowledge Integrity in the production of knowledge demands that researchers: • recognise, understand, and balance their subjectivities • accurately report on their research • act within the law • develop appropriate expertise and experience O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

11. Responsibility for the researched Researchers need to: • show respect for cultural beliefs • treat respondents in a manner that is just and equitable • get informed consent from all research participants • do no harm through the research process • protect the confidentiality / anonymity of the researched O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four

12. Informed Consent Informed consent implies that participants are: • competent • autonomous • involved voluntarily • aware of the right to discontinue • not deceived • not coerced • not induced O'Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage. Chapter Four