DFM Memo: Critical inquiry within the DFM project

This document proposes a general policy on critical inquiry within the Dried Fish Matters project. Please take the time to read the following information and report to us any questions, concerns, or desired changes.

Context

During our 2018 Project Inception Meetings, Dr. Fabiana Li (University of Manitoba) introduced the proposal to study knowledge production within the Dried Fish Matters project.

Subsequent to that proposal, Master’s student Alexia Pigeault (International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources / IMBRSea) has joined DFM for the 2020-2021 academic year, working under Dr. Li’s supervision, to investigate the nature of communications within DFM.

As required by the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethics (TCPS2), consent to participate in any research project funded through DFM must always be voluntary.[1] As such, whether or not you agree to participate in this or any other research concerning DFM is up to you.

However, we wish to draw your attention to the general implications of this research for you and the overall project, including the nature of the research activities that we intend to support and the conditions we impose.

Critical inquiry research ethics

Researchers engaging in critical inquiry often seek knowledge that critiques or challenges the policies and practices of groups, organizations, and institutions.

TCPS2 does NOT require formal authorization from an institution, organization, or other group in order to conduct critical inquiry research on them, since this could become a barrier to meaningful investigation.

However, the policy statement requires that:

• Individuals who are approached to participate in a research project about their organization should be fully informed about the views of the organization regarding the research, and whether permission from the organization has been obtained.
• Prospective participants in research about their organization should be fully informed of the possible consequences of participation, particularly the risks of stigmatization and breach of privacy.

DFM position on research within the project

General consent to research

1. The Project Director views critical inquiry research on the Dried Fish Matters project as a valuable addition to the outcomes of the SSHRC Partnership Grant, and welcomes such research on behalf of the project as a whole.

Risks to participants

1. We acknowledge that there are differences in access to and control of project resources, and that some members of the project have a more powerful role than others in decision-making processes, for formal reasons (e.g., institutional affiliation or seniority) or informal ones (e.g., level of personal trust). We recognize that research investigating the dynamics of knowledge production within DFM may draw attention to such inequalities or related concerns, and could include perspectives that are critical of the work of the people and institutions involved in the project.
2. As emphasized by the Tri-Council, critical inquiry presents risks of stigmatization and breach of privacy to those who participate in research about their organization. For example, a project member who expresses critical views of the Project Director or institutional superiors may, if identified by the researcher, be labelled a poor team player and excluded from future initiatives. Such risks must be managed carefully by maintaining the confidentiality of participants.
3. We recognize the potential for confusion between research and project monitoring & evaluation functions. It is inappropriate for the Project Director or someone in a similar position to conduct or immediately supervise research on other project members, or otherwise to have direct access to research data concerning participants.

Voluntary participation

1. Participants should not be advantaged in any way as a result of taking part in the research study, since this constitutes a penalty for non-involvement. To guard against inadvertent or unconscious advantage or disadvantage, the Project Director and staff should not be aware of who has participated in the research.
2. Project members should not feel coerced into participating. Someone other than the Project Director should approach subjects initially and explain that (1) non-participation is a clear option and (2) no penalty whatsoever will be attached to non-participation. This person should not be a person in a perceived position of power over the participant.

DFM Policy: Rights and obligations in critical inquiry

Rights and obligations of participants, researcher, and project Director & staff

	Rights	Obligations
Participants	Every member of the DFM project has the right to decline to participate in research concerning them, without prejudice. This includes the right not to be subject to data collection in group meetings or similar observational settings.	To protect the confidentiality of the research process, participants must not disclose details of their participation to others.
Researcher	The researcher has the right to document, describe, analyze, and report on general activities and interactions within the project, without compromising the identities of individuals.	The researcher must protect the confidentiality of participant identities. Quotes or identifying descriptions may only be used with the explicit permission of participants.
Project Director & Staff	Project personnel have the right to share and respond to the findings of completed research.	The Project Director and staff must not access raw data or otherwise attempt to determine the identities of participants.