GV249 Seminar WT7: Research Ethics

Political science researchers should carefully consider any use of deception and the ways in which deception can conflict with participant autonomy. Relevant considerations… include whether deception is necessary for the integrity of the research, whether the research involves… risk of harm, whether it is plausible to expect that… individuals would withhold consent if fully informed consent were sought, whether debriefing of subjects is possible, and the relations of power between subject and researcher.

There are some cases in which it might be appropriate for researchers to alter or forgo the consent process. Relevant considerations include when the research is minimal risk, when seeking consent increases the risks for participants, when the research design requires the use of deception or misrepresentation, or when researchers are studying powerful actors and institutions.

Political science researchers conducting studies on political processes should consider the broader social impacts of the research process as well as the impact on the experience of individuals directly engaged by the research.

Studies of interventions by third parties do not usually invoke this principle on impact. Researchers who partner with third parties – for example with governments, electoral commissions, or political parties to learn about their interventions – should understand, however, that partnerships do not obviate all ethical considerations.