Ethics – a study of what is right and wrong when undertaking qualitative research projects.
Humans – people involved in research projects as respondents.
Non-humans - animals or natural elements involved in research projects.
Gatekeepers – leaders or people in charge of research sites, who help researchers to access research sites.
Key Informants – people within the research sites who can provide reliable information or data to the researchers.
Intellectual Property – connected to the ownership of the qualitative studies/outputs and the discussion related to the execution strategies.
❖ Ethnography – these are qualitative studies that deals with ethnic groups/tribes or peculiar groups in society.
❖ Masaai & Hadzabe – tribes found in Northern parts of Tanzania, still practising traditional cultural practices.
❖ Reactivity – reactions/conflicts/injuries/deaths that may occur during the period of data gathering in qualitative projects.
❖ Reciprocity – a symbiotic relationship between the researchers and the research subjects on research sites. I.e. the motivational benefits of the qualitative projects to the research subjects.
❖ Bracketing – the ability of researchers to suspend their emotions and feelings (avoid biases) when writing qualitative reports.
❖ Grounded Theory – a unique design for qualitative approach designed to develop theories.
❖ Coding – the regrouping of qualitative data into categories.
By the end of the chapter, readers should be able to;
Acquire skills of handling ethics connected to all phases of undertaking qualitative projects from research problem to report writing and dissemination of results.
Follow and put into practice steps of intellectual property discussion.
Understand ethics related to projects dealing with non-humans (animals).
Handle unexpected moments (friction) in qualitative data gathering.
Be emotionally provoked by some sad experiences reported.
Experience how ethnographers are applying research ethics in their projects.
Gain practical skills of dealing with ethical issues on research sites.
On 2nd of October 2016, three workers of Selian Agricultural Research Institute were killed by Mvumi Ward Villagers in Dodoma, Tanzania. The researchers were on mission of data gathering. It was reported by the media that the villagers were shocked to see strangers in their village. The three researchers did not have gatekeepers to protect them from harm and deaths. The villagers attacked them, they thought that the researchers were strangers. It was unfortunate that innocent researchers lost their lives because they did not follow proper research ethics.