Far from neutral: Research ethics committees, interdisciplinarity and fieldwork

This article critiques research ethics committees (RECs) for stifling social sciences research through rigid, one‐size‐fits‐all ethics protocols. It highlights how these protocols, rooted in medical science perspectives, ignore the complexities of fieldwork, and prioritize institutional protection o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAnthropology today Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 21 - 24
Main Author Halkias, Alexandra
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2024
Subjects
Bureaucracy
Ethics committees
Fieldwork
Gender studies
Research ethics
Research subjects
Social research
Social sciences
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Summary:This article critiques research ethics committees (RECs) for stifling social sciences research through rigid, one‐size‐fits‐all ethics protocols. It highlights how these protocols, rooted in medical science perspectives, ignore the complexities of fieldwork, and prioritize institutional protection over knowledge advancement. The article illustrates the bureaucratic barriers to sociological and gender studies research through a case study involving fieldwork in a Greek hospital, showing how intersecting hierarchies in the field can render REC instruments invasive or moot. This article aims to enrich academic enquiry by acknowledging the diverse realities of research subjects and methodologies.
Bibliography:The author thanks Michael Herzfeld for insightful discussions and editorial advice, the reviewers for their refining comments, Gustaaf Houtman for editing and overseeing this special issue and Maria Pavlidi for being an excellent researcher and collaborator.
ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:0268-540X
1467-8322
DOI:10.1111/1467-8322.12876