ABSTRACT
Relational ethics and considerations of relational responsibility imbue the process. This chapter discusses the co-composing field texts and to co-composing interim and final research texts, relational ethics sometimes become even more sharply defined. Narrative inquirers comply with the legal and procedural aspects of ethics held by institutional research boards. Lieblich urges narrative inquirers to move beyond the institutional narrative of "do no harm" to learn an attitude of empathic listening, of not being judgmental and of suspending their disbelief as they attend to participants' stories. Early in our work in narrative inquiry, we knew we needed to move away from the legalistic and rights orientation that seemed to be shaping university research ethics boards, particularly around issues of informed consent and anonymity. As we work in narrative inquiry with participants, we need to be always attentive to the relational spaces we are co-composing.
