“Beneficence” and Its Discontents: A Call to Revisit the Role of the IRB in Social and Political Science Research

• Published in: Global perspectives (Oakland, Calif.) Vol. 6; no. 1
• Main Author: Tapscott, Rebecca
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles University of California Press, Journals & Digital Publishing Division 24.04.2025
• Subjects: Decision making; Ethics; Inconsistency; Political science; Political science research; Political scientists; Public good; Scientists; Social sciences; Values; United States > US

Social and political scientists have long criticized institutional ethics review; however, scholars continue to suggest that the system can be reformed to achieve more ethical outcomes. This article argues that such aspirations are misguided. This is because, unlike in biomedical and clinical studie...