Procedural Ethics vs Being Ethical: A Critical Appraisal

Abstract

Tourism researchers, like those in other fields, are subject to multiple ethical dilemmas. Consequently, scholars in the field have called for researcher reflectivity, and specifically ethical reflexivity. Based on this it is recognized that when conducting research merely meeting procedural ethics requirements may not be sufficient. Rather, there is a need to move beyond procedural ethics to capture ethics in practice and to critically recognize what it takes to be ethical when undertaking research. This reflective chapter contributes to the discussion on research ethics in tourism by sharing critical reflections on the ethical journeys of the chapter authors, all of who, in differing ways, study sensitive topics. As such, the chapter draws on work looking at sensitive content on social media, disabled children, sex, and bestiality. The chapter highlights the ongoing and responsive approach to being ethical adopted by these researchers. The chapter reveals how ethical issues and challenges unique to the individual researcher were navigated in practice. Overall, the chapter challenges researchers to be ethical in their research rather than simply conform to research ethics procedural requirements. It calls on researchers to engage in critical and adaptive thinking while balancing radical and traditional approaches to ethics.

Citation

Shiraani, F., Shaheer, I. and Carr, N. (2022), "Procedural Ethics vs Being Ethical: A Critical Appraisal", Okumus, F., Rasoolimanesh, S.M. and Jahani, S. (Ed.) Contemporary Research Methods in Hospitality and Tourism, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 21-37. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80117-546-320221003