Musings after the Ethics in Practice conference

by Keely Blanch

A few weeks ago, I spent the weekend at the Ethics in Practice Conference in Dunedin. As the name suggests, one of the conference themes was ethics in practice, specifically ethical surprises in research, but it also included a focus on discussion around Indigenous context in research ethics, as well as revisiting discussion of the New Brunswick declaration. It was a chance to hear some amazing keynote addresses talking about changes in research ethics. It also gave graduate research students, such as myself, a chance to present aspects of their research, talk through ethical moments, and connect with an international body of researchers as well as a wider graduate research student community.

Barry Smith speaks about making consultation with Maori meaningful

What I found interesting was that it seemed there were common themes woven through the various presentations from novice and senior researchers alike. Themes of needing to remember respect, empathy, relationships, values and the need for conversations around ethics. There was a strong message about being reflexive through the research process, and acknowledging that research affects researchers as well as participants and their communities in many ways.

These themes were signposted from the opening Mihi when Mark Brunton (Ngai Tahu Research Consultation Commttee) reminded us that in a bicultural society research needs to start with a dialogue. MP and Associate Minister of Health, Hon. Peter Dunne then emphasised that "ethics starts with asking the right questions and designing research appropriately". Dunne also noted that ethics is not static - we need to be constantly revisiting our ethical approach and maintain a flexible approach. These are points that would seem obvious in research ethics. Indeed, a commonly promoted aspect of research ethics is reflexivity*.

During the discussion of the New Brunswick declaration, Mark Israel called for researchers to be treated as adults, given the tools for ethical research and scaffolded through the research process and ethical moments. For me, this again calls to the need for ongoing conversations in/with ethics during the research process. As Israel noted with a humorous analogy - the formal procedural ethics review is akin to sheep dip, encouraging the belief that, once treated, researchers can roam freely through the research meadow. However, like sheep, researchers need ongoing support.

Research does affect researchers. As academics we may conduct research to advance knowledge, and build careers. Community researchers may have careers based around research contracts and a desire to help people in their communities. What I saw through many of the conference presentations was that research can also be an emotional journey for the researcher. There may be frustration at delays. Perhaps there is regret at not having more time/money to do the research differently or more thoroughly. Perhaps a participant discloses information that resonates emotionally. Perhaps a participant says things that evoke a strong negative reaction (do you need to 'like' your participants?). Or perhaps the research context evokes discomfort and fears for researcher safety as mentioned in Sieber & Tolich (2013).

By being reflexive we acknowledge these moments. As Graduate Research Students we are encouraged to keep reflective research journals where we acknowledge our positioning and the effect it has upon our research. We may write our positioning and reflections into our theses. We may refer to them in publications. Yet should we be sharing these reflections earlier? The muddles, hiccups, angst and constant negotiations of the research journey are not always made overt, but our reflections upon these shape our research, and us as researchers. Is there room to engage in conversations about these twists and turns during the research journey in a way that may inform not only our own, but the journeys of our research colleagues?

In my own department, I feel we (research students) have informally developed a supportive space for dialogue around these issues. We share frustrations, fears, joys and celebrations around our individual research processes. From my own perspective, I know it can be a relief to hear that I am not alone in the moments along our research journey. We are lucky that we have developed, and continue to maintain, a supportive community feel. Yet not all research students have that available. 

I'd like to see a space for conversations around ethical issues and moments that welcomes a range of experiences and contexts. We often join writing groups to develop and practice our writing skills, so why do we not consider ethical research communities to discuss and guide researcher actions throughout the entire research process? I'd like to see conversations around ethics and the research journey that incorporate senior researchers as well as novice researchers. Through open dialogue with each other as researchers, we can support ethical research practices that will help researchers and participants. 

The conference was tweeted with the tag #EthicsinPractice  and #nzethics. 

Check out tweets from @NZEthics, @EmTum, @teataotu, @frankeeross, @samuelmann, @julierbull and @Amberpoppy26.

*see Guillemin M. & Gillam, L. (2004). Ethics, Reflexivity, and “Ethically Important Moments” in Research. Qualitative Inquiry April 2004 10: 261-280, doi:10.1177/1077800403262360