Groundwork
Participant voice first: The Busara research agenda on ethical research in the Global South
SECTOR
Ethical research
PROJECT TYPE
Field and Lab Experiments
BEHAVIORAL THEME
Integrity | Honesty | Ethics
OVERVIEW
Busara is dedicated to advancing and applying behavioral science in the Global South. We recognize the power imbalances in research and aim to improve their approach to be more ethical. To achieve this, we propose to organize and formalize our research agenda on ethics, focusing on the voices of research participants and their societies. We plan to conduct empirical studies to understand the preferences and experiences of participants, co-create and disseminate changes to research processes, and prioritize racial, gender, and social justice in our ethical practices. Our ultimate goal is to produce better quality research that respects the dignity of participants and serves the communities we study.
The research agenda will address critiques of experimental research, particularly in the Global South, and seek to align ethical practices with participant preferences. It will also examine the relationship between ethical practice and data quality. The research approach will involve participatory and qualitative methods, engaging participants from diverse backgrounds to gain a comprehensive understanding of their experiences and values. Busara’s aim is to uphold ethical standards, improve participant welfare, and contribute to a more just and informed research ecosystem for poverty alleviation and development.
