Problem:
Part 1: After viewing this week's video on the Tuskegee Experiment, discussing the importance of considering the safety and well-being of human research subjects when designing a scholarly study is an ethical boundary that was tragically crossed. During the Tuskegee study, participants were denied effective treatment, penicillin, and not told the truth about their condition. The violation of their rights to make informed decisions about their own bodies was not communicated. Informed consent consists of participants understanding what a study involves, the risk, and their right to withdraw. Tuskegee researchers deliberately deceived Black men, exploiting their lack of access to medical care. Without informed consent, research becomes coercive rather than collaborative. The role of institutional review boards in this process played a critical gate keeping role in protecting human research subjects. Their main role is to independently review, approve, monitor, and when necessary, stop research involving human participants to ensure it is ethical, lawful, and safe. The institutional review boards ensure protection of participant's rights and welfare and that scientific knowledge advances without injustice. Need Assignment Help?
Part 2: Based upon the subject matter of the study in the peer reviewed article "White Researcher- Black Subjects: Exploring the Challenges of Researching the Marginalized and 'Invisible' by Gisela Schulte Agyeman, the overall risk to subjects would best be labeled as medium. The sensitive social identities study on marginalized populations, specifically young black females whose experiences were socially and historically shaped by racism and exclusion is not at low-risk range. The lived experiences recorded by white researcher shared the dynamic identity of bi-racial teens.
At the same time, the study of the subjects was not at a high risk. The qualitative methods such as interviews, narratives, and reflective analysis do not expose participants to any physical danger or harm. This study focuses on ethical reflection and cultural research. There was no indication of deception, or irreversible harm such as the Tuskegee Experiment. Labeling the subject at medium risk is because the study engages ethically complex and emotionally sensitive subjects. The author shares "My interest in researching the Life worlds of young ethnic minority females in predominantly white areas was a personal as well as a professional one" (pg4). The meaningful work to learn about marginalized groups encouraged the research to take deep dive into uncomfortable topics and hurtful truths. This still places the subjects at medium risk because of transparency and respectful voice of the writer.
References:
Agyeman, G. S. (2008). White Researcher- Black Subjects: Exploring the Challenges of Researching the Marginalised and "Invisible." Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 6(1), 77-83.
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