Researchers and their 'subjects'

The governance of research across disciplinary boundaries varies considerably, even when the relationships between the researcher and subject are similar. This book examines the role of participants in research and how research ethics can be put into practice. Health, social, and journalistic research are currently subject to very different forms of regulation and codes of practice. By including the experiences of researchers and their subjects in all of these contexts, the book explores the disciplinary divides. It: discusses the ethical regulations and guidance governing researchers in different disciplines; analyses case studies of innovative research projects where ethics have been central to the researcher-subject relationship; assesses the impact of ethics on research methods and approaches; provides useful comparisons of research conducted by professionals and service-users; offers a unique insight into research participants' perspectives, which are so often absent in discussions of research ethics. This book is essential reading for researchers who are concerned about the ethical quality of their interactions with their subjects, research funders, and those engaged in research governance.