Research Ethics in Social Science (PHD105)

The course focuses on three groups of challenges, corresponding to three kinds of moral obligations on the part of social researchers:

• Obligations to the research participants (e.g., obligations with regard to privacy and consent).
• Obligations to the research community (e.g., obligations with regard to transparency and honesty).
• Obligations to the society at large (e.g., obligations with regard to the use of one’s research, and to one’s public role as an expert).

The consideration of each group of obligations will be guided by three questions:

1. What are the obligations concerned? - Answering this question will involve discussion of various proposed guidelines for Research Ethics in social science, such as those provided by the National Research Ethics Committees.
2. What do the obligations amount to in practical terms? - Answering this question will involve discussion of what, exactly, the obligations require in concrete cases.
3. What is the normative basis for the obligations? - Answering this question will involve discussion of possible sources of justification for the obligations, such as the ethical principles proposed by consequentialist and deontological ethical theories.

Upon completion of the course, students should have achieved the following outcomes:

Knowledge

• Advanced knowledge of moral issues in social science relating to the research participants, the research community, and society at large.
• Advanced knowledge of commonly recognized obligations of social researchers of relevance to these issues.
• Advanced knowledge of possible normative bases for these obligations.

Skills

• Advanced ability to identify moral issues in one’s own and others’ social research relating to the research participants, the research community, and society at large.
• Advanced ability to identify the commonly recognized obligations relevant to these issues, and determine what, exactly, they amount to in concrete cases.
• Advanced ability to critically discuss and evaluate candidate normative bases for these obligations.

General competence

• Advanced competence in subjecting one’s own and others’ research to critical scrutiny with regard to its underlaying assumptions and consequences.
• Advanced competence in recognizing and conforming to the practical norms of science in general and social science in particular.

Participants must be enrolled in a PhD programme.

Examen philosophicum or equivalent.

At least one presentation. Active participation in discussions.

Fagperson(er)

Course coordinator:

Tarjei Mandt Larsen

The course is given over one week, and involves the following methods of work:

• Lecture attendance
• Classroom discussion
• Individual presentation
• Self-study

There must be an early dialogue between the course supervisor, the student union representative and the students. The purpose is feedback from the students for changes and adjustments in the course for the current semester.In addition, a digital subject evaluation must be carried out at least every three years. Its purpose is to gather the students experiences with the course.

Article Science and Ethics, some of the Main Principles and Problems Tranøy, Knut Erik, 11-23, Grazer philosophische Studien, 30, 1987, 11-23, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-XYEUBIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2023-05-02T15%3A18%3A34IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-crossref&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Science%20and%20Ethics,%20some%20of%20the%20Main%20Principles%20and%20Problems&rft.jtitle=Grazer%20philosophische%20Studien&rft.au=Tran%C3%B8y,%20Knut%20Erik&rft.aucorp=Editions%20Rodopi&rft.date=1987&rft.volume=30&rft.spage=11&rft.epage=23&rft.pages=11-23&rft.issn=0165-9227&rft_id=info:doi/10.5840/gps1987303&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3Ccrossref%3E10_5840_gps1987303%3C/crossref%3E,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=getit&user_ip=10.16.56.148&req.skin=primoView online Document Guidelines for Research Ethics in the Social Sciences and the Humanities National Research Ethics Committees, 2022, https://www.forskningsetikk.no/en/guidelines/social-sciences-humanities-law-and-theology/guidelines-for-research-ethics-in-the-social-sciences-humanities-law-and-theology/View online Book Chapter Chapter 2: Normative Theories of Ethics Shaw, William H., Barry, Vincent, Chapter 2: Normative Theories of Ethics, Boston, Cengage, XI, 644 s., cop. 2016, 54-82, isbn:978-1-285-87432-6, Article Fostering integrity in research: Definitions, current knowledge, and future directions Steneck, NH, DORDRECHT, Springer Nature, 53-74, Science and engineering ethics, 1, 12, 2006-03-01, 53-74, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-XYEUBIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2023-05-03T13%3A35%3A37IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-gale_pubme&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Fostering%20integrity%20in%20research:%20Definitions,%20current%20knowledge,%20and%20future%20directions&rft.jtitle=Science%20and%20engineering%20ethics&rft.au=Steneck,%20NH&rft.date=2006-03-01&rft.volume=12&rft.issue=1&rft.spage=53&rft.epage=74&rft.pages=53-74&rft.issn=1353-3452&rft.eissn=1471-5546&rft_id=info:doi/10.1007/PL00022268&rft.pub=Springer%20Nature&rft.place=DORDRECHT&rft.stitle=SCI%20ENG%20ETHICS&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/16501647&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3Cgale_pubme%3EA206223523%3C/gale_pubme%3E%3Curl%3E%3C/url%3E,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=viewit&user_ip=10.16.56.148&req.skin=primo&rft_pqid=750421297&rft_galeid=A206223523View online Book Chapter Chapter 3: Academic Science Ziman, John, Chapter 3: Academic Science, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, xii-xii, 2000-04-27, 28-55, isbn:9780521893107, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-XYEUBIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2023-04-12T21%3A10%3A15IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-proquest_askew&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Real%20Science&rft.au=Ziman,%20John&rft.date=2000-04-27&rft.spage=xii&rft.epage=xii&rft.pages=xii-xii&rft.isbn=9780521893107&rft.isbn_list=0521893100&rft.isbn_list=052177229X&rft.isbn_list=9780521772297&rft_id=info:doi/10.1017/CBO9780511541391&rft.eisbn=0511541392&rft.eisbn_list=9780511541391&rft.eisbn_list=0511151373&rft.eisbn_list=9780511151378&rft.eisbn_list=1107119634&rft.eisbn_list=9781107119635&rft.pub=Cambridge%20University%20Press&rft.place=Cambridge&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/437063367&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3Cproquest_askew%3EEBC202042%3C/proquest_askew%3E%3Curl%3E%3C/url%3E,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=viewit&user_ip=10.16.56.148&req.skin=primo&rft_pqid=EBC202042&rft_cupid=10_1017_CBO9780511541391View online Book Chapter The Normative Structure of Science Merton, Robert K., Norman W Storer (redaktør/forfatter av forord), The Normative Structure of Science, Chicago, Ill., University of Chicago Press, XXXI, 605 s., 1973, 267-278, isbn:0226520919; 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Elizabeth Pennisi, Science, 325, 2009, 1194-1195, Journal Who is accountable? Nature Editors, Nature, 7166, 450, 2007, 1-1, Article Reflections on Determining Authorship Credit and Authorship Order on Faculty-Student Collaborations Fine, Mark A ; Kurdek, Lawrence A, WASHINGTON, American Psychological Association, 1141-1147, The American psychologist, 11, 48, 1993-11-01, 1141-1147, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-XYEUBIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2023-05-03T13%3A53%3A16IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-gale_webof&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Reflections%20on%20Determining%20Authorship%20Credit%20and%20Authorship%20Order%20on%20Faculty-Student%20Collaborations&rft.jtitle=The%20American%20psychologist&rft.au=Fine,%20Mark%20A&rft.date=1993-11-01&rft.volume=48&rft.issue=11&rft.spage=1141&rft.epage=1147&rft.pages=1141-1147&rft.issn=0003-066X&rft.eissn=1935-990X&rft.coden=AMPSAB&rft_id=info:doi/10.1037/0003-066X.48.11.1141&rft.pub=American%20Psychological%20Association&rft.place=WASHINGTON&rft.stitle=AM%20PSYCHOL&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3Cgale_webof%3EA14592468%3C/gale_webof%3E%3Curl%3E%3C/url%3E,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=viewit&user_ip=10.16.56.148&req.skin=primo&rft_pqid=614308919&rft_galeid=A14592468View online Article How to blow the whistle and still have a career afterwards Gunsalus, CK, GUILDFORD, OPRAGEN PUBLICATIONS, 51-64, Science and engineering ethics, 1, 4, 1998-03-01, 51-64, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-XYEUBIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2023-05-03T13%3A56%3A11IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-gale_proqu&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=How%20to%20blow%20the%20whistle%20and%20still%20have%20a%20career%20afterwards&rft.jtitle=Science%20and%20engineering%20ethics&rft.au=Gunsalus,%20CK&rft.date=1998-03-01&rft.volume=4&rft.issue=1&rft.spage=51&rft.epage=64&rft.pages=51-64&rft.issn=1353-3452&rft.eissn=1471-5546&rft_id=info:doi/10.1007/s11948-998-0007-0&rft.pub=OPRAGEN%20PUBLICATIONS&rft.place=GUILDFORD&rft.stitle=SCI%20ENG%20ETHICS&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3Cgale_proqu%3EA206212355%3C/gale_proqu%3E%3Curl%3E%3C/url%3E,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=viewit&user_ip=10.16.56.148&req.skin=primo&rft_pqid=750422711&rft_galeid=A206212355View online Report The Belmont Report U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1979, https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/belmont-report/index.htmlView online Book Chapter Chapter XIII: Deceptive Social Science Research Sissela Bok, Bok, Sissela (Author), Chapter XIII: Deceptive Social Science Research, Place of publication not identified, Vintage Books, 1999, 182-202, isbn:030778911X, Article Some thoughts on ethics of research: After reading Milgram's "Behavioral Study of Obedience." 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J, Heidelberg, Springer, 288-302, Qualitative sociology, 3, 10, 1987-10-01, 288-302, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-XYEUBIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2023-05-03T14%3A35%3A28IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-proquest_cross&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Observing%20Abuse%20:%20Professional%20Ethics%20and%20Personal%20Morality%20in%20Field%20Research&rft.jtitle=Qualitative%20sociology&rft.au=TAYLOR,%20S.%20J&rft.date=1987-10-01&rft.volume=10&rft.issue=3&rft.spage=288&rft.epage=302&rft.pages=288-302&rft.issn=0162-0436&rft.eissn=1573-7837&rft.coden=QUSODB&rft_id=info:doi/10.1007/BF00988991&rft.pub=Springer&rft.place=Heidelberg&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3Cproquest_cross%3E60983985%3C/proquest_cross%3E%3Curl%3E%3C/url%3E,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=viewit&user_ip=10.16.56.148&req.skin=primo&rft_pqid=60983985View online Article The Ethical Battle Over Ancient DNA Michael Balter, Sapiens, 2017, https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/chaco-canyon-nagpra/View online Journal The ethical regulation of science Mary Warnock, Nature, 29, 450, 2007, 616-615, Book Chapter Is there anything we should not want to know? Erik Gärdenfors, Is there anything we should not want to know?, 63-78, Article Scientists as experts: A distinct role? Torbjørn Gundersen, Elsevier, 2018, https://hdl.handle.net/10642/5938View online Article Psychology and Torture David Glenn, Chronicle of Higher Education, 49, 54, 2008, 1-3, Website How did the Elgin Marbles get here? BBC, 2014, https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30342462View online

The course description is retrieved from FS (Felles studentsystem). Version 1