International Research Ethics: Dancing on a moving carpet (partial transcript)

SO, IN OUR FIRST EPISODE -- YOU HEARD FROM ME… ABOUT PODCASTING FOR KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION. LAST EPISODE, WE WENT DOCUMENTARY STYLE WITH OUR DISCUSSION OF FUTURE RESEARCH THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AROUND BODY WORN CAMERA USE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AND, FOR THIS EPISODE -- WE CHOSE A TOPIC THAT OUR MEMBERS DISCUSS A LOT AMONGST THEMSELVES. SO WE THOUGHT -- WHAT BETTER WAY TO RE-IGNITE THAT TOPIC IN PODCAST STYLE THAN TO BRING YOU A PANEL DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, AND TRUST ME -- IT’S GOOD.

IF YOU’RE A RESEARCHER YOURSELF YOU’VE ENCOUNTERED RESEARCH ETHICS BOARDS BEFORE, AND YOU’VE ENCOUNTERED THEM OFTEN. IF YOU’RE JUST SETTING OUT ON YOUR JOURNEY IN ACADEMIC RESEARCH -- IT’S COMING YOUR WAY. AND THERE’S A LOT TO DISCUSS HERE -- TODAY WE ARE FOCUSING ON INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH ETHICS.

BUT, FIRST -- I’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO CRSP MEMBER BREE AKESSON.

Bree Akesson: Hi, my name is Bree Akesson and I’m an associate professor of social work at Wilfrid Laurier University. I am the Canada Research Chair in Global Adversity and Well Being.

AKESSON’S RESEARCH FOCUSES ON WAR-AFFECTED FAMILIES -- AND SHE SAYS SHE FINDS THAT OFTEN SHE ENDS UP IN REALLY COMPLEX AND INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS WITH HER COLLEAGUES ABOUT RESEARCH ETHICS, SPECIFICALLY THE CHALLENGES OF RECONCILING RESEARCH ETHICS BOARD MANDATES WITH CONDUCTING SENSITIVE AND RELEVANT RESEARCH IN INTERNATIONAL SETTINGS.

Bree Akesson: Yeah, there were multiple episodes for me that really started the process of thinking about putting this episode together.  I was working with a colleague and we were just generally chatting about research and international research and the issues that come up, expressing a bit of frustration trying to put in research applications and not having a sense of what was expected in that regard. And this conversation was replicated with multiple colleagues, both professors and phD students and I just started to see a theme arise when I would talk to people about their international research. I think that these conversations about ethics and international research are happening but they’re not out in the open. They’re not happening in a more public sphere, so to get this conversation out in the open I think is really useful, and it becomes a platform by which to take action, a platform by which to have further conversations and I think it also starts a dialogue between international researchers and research ethics boards as well, because I think that's really important.

SO, WE’VE COLLECTED SOME OF THOSE COLLEAGUES AND INVITED THEM ALONG TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE FOR THIS PODCAST. SO, LET ME TELL YOU WHO YOU WILL HEAR FROM TODAY. ACTUALLY, I’LL LET THEM TELL YOU.

Kearney Coupland: Hi, my name is Kearney Coupland. I am a PHD candidate in Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. I am also the chair of the Community Research Ethics Office, which is a non-profit located in Waterloo. My research examines the experience of individuals and households displaced by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas.

Stacey Wilson-Forsberg: Hi, I’m Stacey Wilson-Forsberg. I’m an associate professor in the Human Rights Human Diversity program at Wilfrid Laurier University. I am also the current director of the Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa. I do research in Canada with a newcomer population, and also newcomers in Mexico. 

Festus Moasun: Hi, my name is Festus Moasun. I recently graduated with a PHD in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University. I am currently doing part time with Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Windsor and King’s College. My research area is in disability and mental health. I am specifically interested in culture and disability within the Global Southern context. Most of my research has been in Ghana over the past 4 years.

Steve Sider: Hi my name is Steve Sider. I am an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University. My research focuses on the intersection of disability, school leadership and internationalization.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TODAY’S PANELISTS, HEAD OVER TO THE SHOW NOTES. YOU’LL FIND ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED RIGHT THERE.

SO, PLEASE ENJOY THIS PANEL DISCUSSION ON SOME OF THE PROBLEMATIC ISSUES OUR PANELIST HAVE FACED IN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH ETHICS AND WHY AND HOW WE CAN DO BETTER. 

Audio of Panel Discussion (not transcribed)

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE OF CRSP TALK. WE OWE A HUGE DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO OUR PANELISTS TODAY. 

BREE AKESSON IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL WORK AT WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY. SHE IS ALSO THE CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR IN GLOBAL ADVERSITY AND WELL-BEING AND THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF CRSP.

KEARNEY COUPLAND IS A PHD CANDIDATE IN GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AT LAURIER. SHE IS ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY RESEARCH ETHICS OFFICE.

FESTUS MOASUN HOLDS A PHD IN SOCIAL WORK FROM LAURIER AND IS CURRENTLY TEACHING AT LAURIER, UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR AND KING’S COLLEGE.

STEVE SIDER IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION HERE AT LAURIER.

AND STACEY WILSON-FORSBERG IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS HUMAN DIVERSITY PROGRAM. SHE IS ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF THE TSHEPO INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICA.

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR GUESTS AND THEIR RESEARCH IN THE SHOW NOTES OF THIS EPISODE.

WE ARE SO GLAD YOU JOINED US, AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO UNCOVER MORE OF OUR RESEARCH ON OUR NEXT EPISODE.