Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

COVID-19 and All the Things That Kill Us : Research Ethics in the Time of Pandemic

Marino, Elizabeth ; Rivera-Gonzalez, Joyce ; Benadusi, Mara ; Dietrich, Alexa ; Hamza, Mo LU orcid ; Jerolleman, Alessandra and Koons, Adam (2020) In Practicing Anthropology 42(4). p.36-40
Abstract
How can we ethically research “the social” in times of social distancing? This paper considers the effects of a global pandemic on anthropological practice and scholarship. We suggest that, while much can be learned about the human experience during times of strife, we must first reflect on whether our research is beneficial, collaborative, or necessary. These considerations must constitute an ongoing conversation with research collaborators, and we should work with them in assessing the sociopolitical and biophysical risks our work entails, given that many anthropologists collaborate with members of disenfranchised and politically-marginalized groups. Acknowledging the highly social and oftentimes mobile nature of anthropological... (More)
How can we ethically research “the social” in times of social distancing? This paper considers the effects of a global pandemic on anthropological practice and scholarship. We suggest that, while much can be learned about the human experience during times of strife, we must first reflect on whether our research is beneficial, collaborative, or necessary. These considerations must constitute an ongoing conversation with research collaborators, and we should work with them in assessing the sociopolitical and biophysical risks our work entails, given that many anthropologists collaborate with members of disenfranchised and politically-marginalized groups. Acknowledging the highly social and oftentimes mobile nature of anthropological research, we call for a dialogue on research’s “new normal.” Due to anthropology’s understanding of the interconnectedness of sociopolitical, historical, and cultural factors in crisis contexts, we encourage our colleagues to commit to the design of ethically-relevant responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
research ethics, COVID-19, medical anthropology, disaster anthropology, risk
in
Practicing Anthropology
volume
42
issue
4
pages
36 - 40
publisher
The Society for Applied Anthropology
ISSN
0888-4552
DOI
10.17730/0888-4552.42.4.36
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bc2c6334-afc2-47e6-aa1e-f29bd9b9e3a4
date added to LUP
2021-09-14 16:05:35
date last changed
2024-09-20 09:49:00
@article{bc2c6334-afc2-47e6-aa1e-f29bd9b9e3a4,
  abstract     = {{How can we ethically research “the social” in times of social distancing? This paper considers the effects of a global pandemic on anthropological practice and scholarship. We suggest that, while much can be learned about the human experience during times of strife, we must first reflect on whether our research is beneficial, collaborative, or necessary. These considerations must constitute an ongoing conversation with research collaborators, and we should work with them in assessing the sociopolitical and biophysical risks our work entails, given that many anthropologists collaborate with members of disenfranchised and politically-marginalized groups. Acknowledging the highly social and oftentimes mobile nature of anthropological research, we call for a dialogue on research’s “new normal.” Due to anthropology’s understanding of the interconnectedness of sociopolitical, historical, and cultural factors in crisis contexts, we encourage our colleagues to commit to the design of ethically-relevant responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.}},
  author       = {{Marino, Elizabeth and Rivera-Gonzalez, Joyce and Benadusi, Mara and Dietrich, Alexa and Hamza, Mo and Jerolleman, Alessandra and Koons, Adam}},
  issn         = {{0888-4552}},
  keywords     = {{research ethics; COVID-19; medical anthropology; disaster anthropology; risk}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{36--40}},
  publisher    = {{The Society for Applied Anthropology}},
  series       = {{Practicing Anthropology}},
  title        = {{COVID-19 and All the Things That Kill Us : Research Ethics in the Time of Pandemic}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.17730/0888-4552.42.4.36}},
  doi          = {{10.17730/0888-4552.42.4.36}},
  volume       = {{42}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}