Perspectives from a Different Beach

Research ethics is an increasingly important part of social science debates. Among political scientists conducting research in the Americas, much of this discussion focuses on the ethics of experiments with human subjects. The ethical challenges identified by remena (Research Ethics in the Middle East and North Africa) scholars clearly overlap with those faced by researchers elsewhere, but they also involve unique issues specific to the mena region. Broad themes include power and authoritarianism, technocratic versus activist research, ownership of ethicality, and communicating clearly and honestly with vulnerable populations.