[iDC] Ethical Issues in Research in Art, Design and Media (forwarded cfp)

[egoodman at confectious.net]

Dear all,

Apologies if this email reaches some of you for the second or third time,
but given the tone of the discussion for the past few weeks, I think many
on this list would appreciate joining this project.

Liz

--->

From: Darren Newbury <Darren.Newbury at UCE.AC.UK>
Date: December 16, 2005 9:01:15 AM EST
To: VISCOM at LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU
Subject: Research Ethics in Art, Design and Media
Reply-To: Visual Communications Discussion <VISCOM at LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU>


   Ethical Issues in Research in Art, Design and Media
Compared with other, more established subject areas, art, design and media
are
relatively new research disciplines, and have only recently begun to
tackle the
issue of ethical implications of research.  In some cases, ethical guidelines
associated with other disciplines have provided a good basis for
addressing many
such issues, but increasingly researchers are becoming aware of ethical
dilemmas
that are specific both to the subject domains and to the particular research
practices emerging in this area.  For example, the taking or use of visual
images
without the knowledge or consent of the subjects involved.
The purpose of this research is to enhance research training by giving
specific
attention to these research issues.  This will be achieved through the
development
of a series of case studies that will highlight the ethical dilemmas faced in
typical research projects, and consider possible means of addressing them.
My role in the project is to collate, analyse and write up case examples
of ethical
issues in art, design and media in a form that can be used in workshops with
doctoral students, and also published online.  I plan to achieve this is by
interviewing researchers, both doctoral and post-doctoral, who have faced
ethical
dilemmas in their research that they feel are specific to the subject;
these may or
may not have been resolved.  The interviews may be face to face, by phone,
or using
email.  Where practical, I hope, with the interviewees consent, to audio
record the
interviews.  I will use an interpretive narrative approach in which I will
write a
first account of the case example, focusing on the ethical aspects, and
will then
return to the researcher to confirm my understanding and interpretation.
Of course, this research project has its own ethical implications that we
intend to
address with these procedures:
- the confidentiality of research contributors, their participants, and
any specific
issues identified by the researchers will be respected, and will be
preserved in the
final written account
- any written account, or any other dissemination of the material supplied
by the
researchers, will ensure that the anonymity of both the contributors and
any others
involved will be maintained and protected
- any written interpretation of case examples or other material will be
discussed
with contributors and confirmed as a true account before it is disseminated
- no material provided will be used in any way without the prior consent of
contributors.
The first stage in the process is to identify appropriate research
projects that
would be amenable to this approach.  If you are engaged in research that has
involved such ethical issues, or if you know of a colleague or student in
that
position who would who would be willing to share their experiences with
us, then
please contact Darren or Anne.
Anne.Boultwood at uce.ac.uk
Darren.Newbury at uce.ac.uk

Anne Boultwood
5 December 2005