Ethical issues: international research students’ dilemmas in doing qualitative research in education in China and India

Abstract

International research students in the UK are advised to comply with the Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research of the British Educational Research Association (BERA, 2004) together with the guidelines of their institutions for conducting research projects. In cases where qualitative research is conducted in the students’ own national contexts, there may be additional ethical concerns for them to consider. This paper is based on the research experiences of two international students conducting their studies, qualitative and interpretative in nature, in special and inclusive school settings in China and India. It identifies cross-cultural ethical dilemmas within the contexts where ethical guidelines are not administered systematically or used as legalised practices. The authors focus on a discussion of these issues related to informed consent, confidentiality and anonymity, reciprocity and power, subjectivity and biases. The implications suggest a demand for the development and implementation of ethical guidelines in educational research