Journal of Refugee Studies
Volume 28, Issue 4, 2015, Pages 468-485

Multilayered ethics in research involving unaccompanied refugee minors (Article)

Iet M.V. , Rousseau C. , Broekaert E. , Derluyn I.
  • a Department of Social Welfare Studies, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
  • b Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada
  • c Department of Orthopedagogics, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
  • d Department of Social Welfare Studies, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium

Abstract

Research articles about unaccompanied refugee minors (UM) have rarely addressed ethical issues. This is remarkable, given UM's specific, marginalized and vulnerable position within society, and the growing interest and developments in research ethics in refugee research. This article poses the question whether studies involving UM raise specific ethical issues compared to research on other refugee groups. We formulate personal reflections on ethical issues in a particular research project-a longitudinal study of UM in Belgium- and connect them to the existing body of literature on research ethics in qualitative and refugee research. We conclude that research ethics in studies with UM need to be multilayered because of researchers' obligation to take ethical responsibility at both the micro and socio-political levels. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Author Keywords

Refugees unaccompanied refugee minors Research ethics Informed consent

Index Keywords

research qualitative analysis refugee Belgium ethics
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84963831868&doi=10.1093%2fjrs%2ffeu039&partnerID=40&md5=2193805c94668cc391fc637fcc475f2a
DOI: 10.1093/jrs/feu039
ISSN: 09516328
Cited by: 10
Original Language: English