ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by emphasising the inextricability of ethics and the conduct of human research, and the tensions between balancing macroethical principles enshrined in research regulations and the uncertainties of microethical practices that researchers face once in the field. This leads to a discussion of the philosophical sources and motivations underpinning ethical principles and the notion of morally responsible research. Occasional ‘unfortunate’ medical experiments in the 1960s led to the formulation by institutional review boards of strict regulations for the ethical conduct of research. Founded upon medical science, these normative regulations pose significant challenges for qualitative researchers, where conventional standards of objectivity and reliability do not apply.
The structure of the book is explained. The choice of a case study approach enabled the student researchers to illuminate and narrate the complex interplay between ethical policies, data collection, and contextual constraints. A prologue consists of brief reflective vignettes written by seven former research students. This is followed by five detailed case study chapters narrated by current PhD students based on reflective journals each maintained before, during, and immediately after collecting various qualitative data. These narrative chapters are followed by commentaries written by experienced international scholars, and a brief editorial afterword.
