Recognizing the never quite absent
De facto usage, ethical issues, and applications of covert research in difficult research contexts
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12697271 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Karolina Kluczewska (0000-0002-0349-4443, University of Duisburg-Essen, corresponding author), Philipp Lottholz (0000-0002-6616-269X, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 417-433 |
| Publication date | 2021-08-14 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Qualitative Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1468-7941 • E-ISSN: 1741-3109 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/14687941211033084 |
| OpenAlex | W3194470710 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 27 |
This article scrutinizes and reconceptualizes covert research in social science. Surveying recent literature about this research method, we reflect on the ethical and safety implications stemming from the widespread, even if well-intended, lack of transparency characterizing many research projects, especially ones conducted in difficult research contexts. While the standard definition of covert research holds that researchers deliberately do not declare to research subjects that academic research is taking place, we argue that the remoteness of Western academia from most researched contexts often a priori renders field research at least partially covert, irrespective of the researcher’s intentions. This is because its aims, utility, and expected outputs are hard to understand for research participants unrelated to academia. We illustrate this argument by analyzing our own fieldwork experiences in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. In conclusion, we emphasize the need to critically reflect on the de facto use of covert techniques by social researchers
Argument (complex analysis · Covert · De facto · Engineering ethics · Epistemology · Field (mathematics · Field research · Political science · Social research · Social science · Sociology · Transparency (behavior · Engineering · Global Security and Public Health · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · Law · Political Conflict and Governance
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| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,5 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2026 (5) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |