On Research Ethics. Interview with Professor Derica Lambrechts

Abstract

Research ethics and the committees supervising adherence to ethical norms have been receiving increasing attention in academic institutions as they are tasked with ensuring responsible conduct and integrity in research practices. The main goal of the committees and their members is to assesses the compliance of planned research with research ethics requirements. They also assist researchers in planning their research in accordance with ethical principles, and provide relevant advice and methodological support. As research ethics has become an established standard in academic journals and scholarly publications, political science faces an imperative to align its practices with these evolving ethical expectations. The text presents a conversation with Professor Derica Lambrechts from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, who has been serving as a committee member for more than a decade. She shares her experiences and challenges in a local South African context while conducting her research on crime gangs in Cape Town. Her insights are based on personal experiences and should not be identified with the positions of the committee. The interview may prove valuable to committee members, lecturers reflecting on the ethical dimensions of their research, and students undertaking their first scholarly works.