Social Science Research Ethics for a Globalizing World

“I am sure many readers will join me in appreciating the efforts of the editors and all the contributors to this book for the dedication and depth of thought they have brought to a wide range of issues that are of concern today.”

- His Holiness The Dalai Lama

"As we struggle to understand, and manage for the best, this globalized world we are creating, it is vital to have rigorous conceptual models backed by empirical evidence upon which to build policy and practice. Nakray’s new edited volume provides just that. It seeks to help us understand why people do what they do, in all its beauty, horror, awe and banality. Vital reading for anyone interested in the why, and not just the how, of our brave new world."

- Peter Walker, Dean, Falk School of Sustainability, Chatham University

"This wide ranging, meticulously researched and timely collection written by leading thinkers and practitioners provides an overview of the ethical challenges of carrying out social science research in cross cultural contexts. But the authors of its seventeen chapters go much further than this - they provide a set of original new insights that will be of enormous interest to any social scientist interested in engaging with the role of research in the 'real world'."

- David Lewis, Professor of Social Policy and Development, London School of Economics & Political Science

"This book is essential reading for anyone doing research on sexual and gender violence, especially in developing economies. It provides first-hand accounts of ethical problems when researchers study sensitive topics, often with vulnerable populations. Among the areas explored are ethics and power relations when Western researchers or ‘outsiders’ conduct research in developing economies; the gendered risks and benefits for participants and researchers in studies of gender violence; undertaking feminist research that makes a difference for women with HIV/AIDS; ethical frameworks in researching asylum seekers and refugees; ethical problems when interviewing family members and relatives; and critical self-reflections when researching an assumed dangerous ‘other’. Ethnographic field work, interviews, and quantitative data are drawn from Asia (India, Bangladesh, China, Vietnam), Africa (Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa), South America (Peru), and Scandinavia (Sweden). Emphasis is placed on developing ethical research on violence, vulnerable communities, and health, particularly in developing economics and unstable settings; and on devising safety protocols for researchers and participants in these settings. This pioneering book shows how and why research ethics matter in a globalizing world."

- Kathleen Daly, Professor, Griffith University

"Students and faculty of the social sciences, particularly in anthropology and related disciplines, may find the book useful as they prepare to study traditionally marginalized groups and/or sensitive and controversial topics."

--A. P. Schwab, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne