Ethics and research: A situated and relational approach

Abstract

This article examines the dynamics between ethics and research. Ethics can be liberated through research and research empowered through ethics. The core precepts of consent, choice, and rights can be made more relevant and humane when they are not just external edicts but are cultivated as a living ethic within the relational system they operate in. The value of generating a vision that evokes participation is outlined. The call to be individuated and involve oneself in the immediate circumstances is embodied in the article. It is hoped that it will encourage ongoing examination of the core factors that impact on ethics and research and, more ambitiously, that people will be encouraged to participate and involve others.