Understanding the relevance of ethics reviews of ICT research in UK computing departments using dialectical hermeneutics
Date
2015
Authors
Eke, Damian
Stahl, Bernd Carsten, 1968-
Fidler, Christine
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Peer reviewed
Yes
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to attempt to investigate how Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) researchers in UK computing departments address ethics in their
research. Whilst research and innovation in ICT has blossomed in the last two decades, the ethical,
social and legal challenges they present have also increased. However, the increasing attention the
technical development receives has not been replicated in the area of developing effective guidelines
that can address the moral issues inherent in ICT research.
Design/methodology/approach – This research is qualitative and made use of interviews. The data
analysis was done with dialectical hermeneutics. Through a dialectical hermeneutic process, this
research unpacks different understandings of relevance attached to ethics reviews of ICT research in
UK computing departments.
Findings – The findings include that ethics reviews are relevant because; it is a moral duty, it
improves trust for researchers, it is part of risk assessment, it is in compliance with the law and it is a
sustainable act.
Practical implications – These various understandings illustrate an important dialectic process on
the current state of the art in ICT research.
Social implications – It asks to what degree the currently dominant model of ethics review based on
biomedical ethics is optimal to ICT.
Originality/value – It proposes a framework that can effectively help researchers and administrators
to ensure responsible research and innovation in ICT. Finally, it identifies that ICT researchers would
benefit from the developing repertoire of responsible research innovation.
Description
Keywords
Ethics, Sustainability, Hermeneutics, Trust, Risk assessment, Information ethics
Citation
Eke, D. O., Stahl, B. C. and Fidler, C. (2015) Understanding the relevance of ethics reviews of ICT research in UK computing departments using dialectical hermeneutics. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 13 (1), pp. 28–38
Research Institute
Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility (CCSR)