Ethics issues and research in vulnerable communities: a case study from the North West province of South Africa

Abstract

Through the lens of a case-study, this paper outlines some of the problems that arise when implementing ethics requirements in vulnerable communities. There is a mismatch between positivistic ethics norms and those required in the field. In the case study described here, researchers used a community-based participatory research design to study the impact of an ICT intervention on a group of largely illiterate, low status elderly woman in a rural village in the North West province of South Africa. The case study highlights some of the ethical and practical issues that were faced by the researchers who were from a professional research institute. The study consequently provides novice and experienced ICT4D researchers alike with a deeper understanding of the unique actions and choices – and inevitable uncertainties, complexities and compromises – that can arise when addressing ethical issues such as informed consent, which is necessary to obtain legitimised entry into a traditional community.