‘Respect’ and ‘justice’ for whom? Culturally irresponsive ethical practices with refugee communities

Neil Bilotta

doi:10.1177/00208728211031967

Abstract

This article explores how two common social work ethical principles, respect for persons and justice, are understood by refugee young people aged 18–30 years old in Kenya. Through 31 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with refugee young people who had previously participated in academic and/or organization-based qualitative research, this article explores how this group conceptualizes research ethics. The analysis suggests that refugee young people in Kenya did not necessarily feel that researchers were respectful. As such, the article claims that researchers must reconsider how Eurocentric social work and research ethics codes are understood globally.

Highlights

International social work researchers are ethically bound to respect the inherent dignity and worth of all people and promote social justice (IFSW, 2018)
Considering research ethics guidelines are most often drafted in the Global North, the attributes assigned to such codes
This article examines two frequently cited guiding ethical social work and research concepts – respect for persons and justice – from the perspectives of refugee young people (RYP) living in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya

Summary

Introduction

Persons) may culturally misalign with researchers and participants in the Global South (IFSW, 2018). This article examines two frequently cited guiding ethical social work and research concepts – respect for persons and justice – from the perspectives of RYP living in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya. Without critically analyzing social work research ethics, researchers run the risk of Othering participants, especially when researchers from the Global North facilitate studies with participants from the Global South. To justify these arguments, the manuscript will first provide a brief overview of research ethics, including the four research ethics protocols that framed this project and African-specific theories on research ethics. The ways in which the Other/Othering may affect research ethics in Kakuma refugee camp will be illustrated in the discussion section

Methodology

Conclusion