scholarly journals Research ethics and diversity of worldviews: Integrated worlds and ubuntu

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 22-35
Author(s):  
Moyra Keane
Keyword(s):  
Research Ethics ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Rural South ◽  
Indigenous Worldviews ◽  
Actual Change ◽  
Ethical Norms ◽  
Rural South Africa

Many scholars have argued for inclusion of indigenous knowledges in all levels of teaching, as well as a re-thinking of research approaches in African and other southern contexts. However, methodology in indigenous knowledge research in southern Africa over the past few years shows only a few examples of an actual change in approach, genre, data collection or ethical considerations. This paper deals with just one of these aspects: research ethics. I argue that ethical considerations affect all aspects of the research process and hence affect how we construct and validate new knowledges. The paper aims to disrupt conventional ethical assumptions through illustrative research examples. It draws together three frameworks into a synthesised model to clarify different worldview perspectives that may be applied to research. The discussion and model may serve as an educational tool for researchers, particularly in the global South. I draw on both indigenous knowledge literature and three research projects located in rural South Africa to argue for the need to reconsider standard ethical norms. Standard ethical protocols are inadequate in providing guidance to students and researchers for complex contexts and diverse cultural values and indigenous worldviews.

scholarly journals One size fits not quite all: Universal research ethics with diversity

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed S Msoroka ◽  
Diana Amundsen
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Research Ethics ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Ethical Principles ◽  
Ethical Research ◽  
Human Research Ethics ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Universal Principles ◽  
Ethical Norms

For researchers in Aotearoa New Zealand who intend to conduct research with people, it is common practice to first ensure that their proposals are approved by a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC). HRECs take the role of reviewing, approving or rejecting research proposals and deciding on whether the intended research will be completed in the ‘right’, rather than the ‘wrong’ way. Such decisions are based upon a system which is guided by universal ethical principles – principles that assume there is universal agreement about the ethically right way to conduct research. Increasingly, Aotearoa New Zealand is becoming more culturally diverse. Actions that are assumed as ‘right’ in reference to ethical norms endorsed in one culture or society may not always be considered ‘right’ in reference to ethical norms in another culture or society. In this article we first set out what is already known in the literature about the origins and applications of universal ethics in a research context. Next, we analyse how cultural values and beliefs bear influence on the process of ethical deliberation. Two case studies illustrate our own examples of how conducting ethical research projects following universal principles with cultural diversity operated in practice. We conclude that one size fits not quite all. Lastly, we propose that Aotearoa New Zealand HRECs may need to consider expanding their approach from universal ethical principles to include a more diverse interpretation of what is ‘ethical research conduct’. Rather than advocating a radical approach, i.e. either universality or diversity, it is time for HRECs to consider a hybrid approach of universality with diversity that permits partial detour from universal principles when considering ethics application proposals.

scholarly journals Ethical considerations in the biomedical research: analysis of national biomedical research ethics guidelines in Iran

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amirhossein Mardani ◽  
Maryam Nakhoda ◽  
Alireza Noruzi ◽  
Ehsan Shamsi Gooshki
Keyword(s):  
Research Ethics ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Research Integrity ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Operation Stage ◽  
Research Operation

The national guidelines for biomedical research ethics are approved by the “National Committee for Ethics in Biomedical Research” at the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education as the regulatory body for biomedical research in the country. The focus of these guidelines should be on the ethical issues related to different stages of the research process, which would lead to increased research integrity and better supervision of research activities. The present study analyzed the contents of these national guidelines to clarify the ethical considerations connected to the five stages of a research process including 1) proposing, 2) approval, 3) operation, 4) documentation and 5) publishing. The findings showed that the assessed guidelines laid more emphasis on the ethical considerations related to the research operation stage rather than the proposal stage. In other words, activities such as identification of the research problem, formulation of hypotheses and questions, financial evaluation, data analysis and data interpretation did not receive adequate attention in these guidelines. Most of the guidelines presented subject categories such as the rights of participants and supervisory considerations in the “research operation stage”, ethical considerations in the “evaluation and approval procedure stage”, and editorial responsibilities in the “research review and publication stage”. In general, despite noticeable content for guiding researchers for ethical conduction of research the national guidelines are not adequately developed to cover comprehensive and sufficient ethical considerations regarding all the activities of research.

scholarly journals Africanity and research: A case study in rural South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Landman ◽  
Hannelie Yates
Keyword(s):  
Racial Identity ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Traditional Values ◽  
Rural South ◽  
Faith Based ◽  
The Third ◽  
Group Identities ◽  
Local Municipality ◽  
Rural South Africa

In the first part of this article, Africanity as a concept within research methodology is exploredin the dialogical spaces between the binaries of racial identity and group identity, indigenousand traditional values, post-colonialism and post-racialism, blackness and African, as well aseliminativist and conservationalist. In the second part, the research carried out in twotownships in the eMakhazeni Local Municipality in Mpumalanga, South Africa’s most easternprovince, is described in terms of parameters and process. The townships involved areSakhelwe in Dullstroom-Emnotweni and Emthonjeni in Machadodorp-eNktokozweni. Theresearch focuses on interviews with young people between the ages of 18 and 24 on thepotential of faith-based organisations to assist them in moving from the ’margins‘ of society topositions of social cohesion. The third and main part of the article, is dedicated to lessonslearnt and experience acquired when research is carried out in a rural area from an Africanityperspective. This entails, inter alia (1) to be sensitive towards power relations in research; (2)respecting indigenous values within group identities; (3) not predefining the youth, usingindigenous (and not European) definitions of ‘agency’ and ‘marginalisation’; (4) to engage inobservation rather than interpretation; and (5) to decolonise the research process whenregarding interpretation as an act of colonisation.

Indigenous Environmental Justice, Knowledge, and Law

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah McGregor
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Justice ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Systems ◽  
Indigenous Worldviews ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge Systems ◽  
The World ◽  
Innovative Approaches

This article aims to introduce a distinct conception of Indigenous environmental justice (IEJ) based on Indigenous legal orders, knowledge systems, and conceptions of justice. This is not to suggest in any way that the existing environmental justice (EJ) scholarship is flawed; in fact, the scholarship and activism around EJ have been central in diagnosing and drawing attention to injustices that occur on a systematic basis everywhere in the world. This article argues instead that such discussions can be expanded by acknowledging that concepts of environmental justice, including distinct legal orders informed by Indigenous knowledge systems, already existed on Turtle Island for thousands of years prior to the arrival of Europeans. It also suggests that environmental justice framed within Indigenous worldviews, ontologies, and epistemologies may make significant contributions to broader EJ scholarship, particularly in relation to extending justice to other beings and entities in Creation. This approach acknowledges ongoing colonialism and emphasizes the need to decolonize in order to advance innovative approaches to IEJ. 

scholarly journals Resource recovery from and management of wastewater in rural South Africa: Possibilities and practices

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 101978 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masego Montwedi ◽  
Mujuru Munyaradzi ◽  
Luc Pinoy ◽  
Abhishek Dutta ◽  
David S. Ikumi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Resource Recovery ◽  
Rural South ◽  
Rural South Africa
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