We have conducted qualitative interviews with research staff from the Global South and North at different hierarchical levels (including local enumerators, field supervisors, field managers, (PhD) students, as well as principal investigators). This helped us verify as well as extend on the ethical challenges discussed in the literature and identify structural, country, and individual-level challenges leading to ethical failures like insecurity, distress, and exploitation. Following this, we propose solutions at the structural, project, and individual levels to ensure staff wellbeing, improve ethical integrity, and enhance data rigour.
The results have been published in World Development Perspectives and can be accessed here.