Page 51 - Academic and Research Book_WEB

• Narrating and presenting the findings, and

• Publishing the research.
A word of caution is that research ethics in India is still in an early development stage. Not only is
it necessary to keep track of how individual researchers are dealing with ethical dilemmas, it is
equally necessary to discuss our personal dilemmas in appropriate fora so that these add to the
body of research ethics in social sciences in India. This is especially pertinent because we, in India,
neither have laws governing or even impinging on research ethics, nor have the Indian social science
associations and bodies developed a comprehensive code of research ethics.

Requirements and Consideration during the Research Process

Choosing a Research Topic

The primary consideration for conducting a research study is no doubt the fact that it presents
questions to the sociological mind that have not been answered. This may be prompted by sheer
curiosity. Or it may be that there are gaps in our understanding of the phenomena that need to be
filled. These gaps need to be bridged for several reasons:

• The need to satisfy our curiosity.
• The fact that the new knowledge would enhance our understanding and directly or indirectly
benefit the community.
• The fact that it might address policy concern.
All of these are not ethical reasons for conducting the research. While social researchers may be
committed to the advancement of knowledge this does not give them an entitlement and does not
allow them to overlook the rights of others. The questions that every researcher must ask are:
• What is the purpose of this research?

• What are its benefits?
• Who benefits?
• Does it harm?

As the British Sociological Association (BSA, op. cit.) cautions:
Sociologists as researchers should satisfy themselves that the studies they undertake are worthwhile
and that the techniques proposed are appropriate.

And further…

Although sociologists, like other researchers, are committed to the advancement of knowledge, that
goal does not, of itself, provide an entitlement to override the rights of others.

The Tri-Council (1998) code reminds us further that social research has a commitment to “advancing
human welfare, knowledge and understanding and to examining cultural dynamics”. After all, such
research is funded on the premise that it alleviates human suffering, or validates social theories, may
examine policy, and so on.
Research involving human subjects imparts at least three general categories of benefits:

• The basic desire for new knowledge and understanding is the driving force for research.
• The quest to advance knowledge sometimes benefits research subjects. Subjects may benefit from

40 | University Grants Commission