Unethical ethics? Reflections on intercultural research practices

Reproductive Health Matters

Volumn 8, Issue 15, 2000, Pages 104-112

  Mulder, Silvia Salinas ^a   Rance, Susanna ^a   Suárez, Mónica Serrate ^a   Condori, Mery Castro ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

Bolivia; Ethical research protocols; Ethnicity; Informed consent; Intercultural research; Research methodology

Indexed keywords

BOLIVIA; COMMUNITY; CULTURAL FACTOR; ETHICS; FEMALE; HEALTH CARE DELIVERY; HUMAN; INFORMED CONSENT; PERSONNEL; POPULATION RESEARCH; PRIORITY JOURNAL; REPRODUCTION; REVIEW; SEXUAL BEHAVIOR;

EID: 12944332073     PISSN: 09688080     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/S0968-8080(00)90011-9     Document Type: Article

References (30)

1. Albertina Castro Cáceres, then director of the institution JATH'A.
2. 'Andean strategy to reduce the impact of unsafe abortion on women's health and wellbeing', Population Council, Bolivia, 1998-2000.
3. The project 'Action-research on sexual and reproductive health with women in rural areas' (1999-2000) is a component of the 'Andean strategy'.
4. Mestizo, a term used in Iberian and Latin American contexts to indicate mixed race, ethnicity or culture (in this setting, Aymara/Hispanic).
5. CIOMS/OMS, 1993. Pautas Éticas Internacionales para la Investigatión y Experimentación Biomédica en Seres Humanos. pp11-12. Geneva: CIOMS/OMS.
6. Layton R, 1993. The work of national bioethics committees in Australia: a history. Reproductive Health Matters. 1(2):94-97.
7. 'Intercultural' is defined as 'taking place or forming a communication between cultures, belonging to or derived from different cultures' (OED). This concept 'refers above all to the attitudes and relations of individuals or human groups of one culture with reference to another cultural group, its members or features and cultural products'. In: Albó X, 1999. Iguales aunque Diferentes. La Paz: Ministry of Education/UNICEF/CIPCA. p84. (our translation)
8. Lal J, 1996. Situating locations: the politics of self, identity and Other' in living and writing the text. In: DL Wolf (ed). Feminist Dilemmas in Fieldwork. Boulder CO: Westview Press, pp185-86.
9. Gringa (f) or gringo (m) is a term of uncertain origin which in some Latin American countries, including Bolivia, is used to refer to white Northerners, often assumed to be from the USA. It can bear connotations varying from ironic humour through distancing otherness to anti-imperialist contempt.
10. The National Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Health, founded in 1999, is a Ministry of Health-led umbrella organisation coordinating all State, non-governmental and international initiatives in the field of sexual and reproductive health.
11. Albó X et al, op. cit. p149. (our translation)
12. 'The Informed Consent Form must include information regarding the following: (...)-Risks to the subject, including physical, social and emotional. (...) Discomforts and risks: describe any attendant discomforts and risks to be expected/ Population Council Ethical Review procedures pp 4, 11.
13. Renzetti CM, Lee RM, 1993. Researching Sensitive Topics. Newbury Park CA: Sage Publications. p18.
14. Fieldnotes, Monica Serrate, 15 July 1999.
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19. Fieldnotes, Mónica Serrate, 15 May 1999.
20. Fieldnotes, Mónica Serrate, 12 December 1999.
21. Fieldnotes, Mery Castro, 14 January 2000.
22. 'Doctorita', diminutive form (affectionate, infantilising or demeaning) of 'doctora', a female doctor.
23. Minh-ha TT 1987. Difference: 'A special Third World women issue'. Feminist Review. 25:5-22.
24. Albó X, op cit. pp139-40.
25. Silvia Salinas proposed this concept in a personal communication with Susanna Rance, July 1999: 'An act that is itself based on ethical principles can end up being almost "unethical".'
26. Ehrenreich B, English D, 1978. For Her Own Good. 150 Years of the Experts'Advice to Women. New York: Doubleday.
27. Patai D, op cit. p150.
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29. Mohanty C, 1988. Under Western eyes: feminist scholarship and colonial discourses. Feminist Review. 30:61-88.
30. Parpart JL, 1994. Who is the 'other'? A postmodern feminist critique of the theory and practice of women and development. Development and Change. 4(3):439-64.