Youth reflections on ethics in research and practice: a case study of youth born of genocidal rape in Rwanda

ABSTRACT

Despite the significant amount of literature dedicated to ethical and methodological issues related to youth engagement and youth participation in research, few studies have examined how young people themselves view and give meaning to their own participation in research projects that employ creative practices that affect them. This article explores the perspectives of youth with regard to their participation in a research project. Drawing upon the voices and perspectives of youth affected by the genocide in Rwanda, we trace young people’s views on ethical issues, particularly in relation to harm, process and power in research. We highlight some of the ethical challenges and opportunities in participatory research and practice with young people and discuss implications based on their thoughtful insights and reflections.

KEYWORDS:

• Participatory research
• ethics
• Rwanda
• genocide
• youth

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 This study was supported by the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, The Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Canada Council for the Arts, through the Killam Fellowship Program.

2 We have chosen to use the term ‘youth researcher’, to differentiate them from the youth participants who were part of the research study, as well as from the older adult members of the research team. We recognize, however, the imperfections of the term, and in using it, strive to in no way downplay or lessen their significant research roles in the project.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada: [Grant Number 435-2015-0523].