91ÇÑ×Ó

Safe, responsible and ethical research

The Society requires that the research we support be conducted in a safe and ethicalÌýmanner. Grant recipients must obtain their own institution’s health and safety and ethical approval before funding can be transferred.

Independent individuals and teams that are not affiliated with an institution will need to complete aÌýrisk assessment and ethical assessment for their project, which will be formally reviewed by the Society.

All projects should adhere to the Society’s code of practice for the grants programme and its policy on ethics and sustainable research and fieldwork.

We encourage all applicants also to consider, and address in their applications, our Fieldwork Principles.Ìý

Risk assessment

All 91ÇÑ×Ó grants are awarded on the condition that a risk assessment beÌýsubmitted for the project. Projects undertaken by students and academics must obtain risk assessmentÌýapproval from their university. Independent projects undertaken by individuals and teams not affiliated with a university must complete and submit the below riskÌýassessment form, which will be reviewed by the Society.

Risk assessmentÌýform

A good starting point for anyone creating a risk assessment for the first time isÌýUniversity College London (UCL) Department of Geography'sÌý. Your risk assessment must not be generic, but be designed around the specific risks you may face depending on the location of your project and the nature of your research. UCL's provide examples of the kinds of risks you may need to consider.Ìý ÌýÌý

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Ethical assessment

The SocietyÌýrequires the research it funds to be conducted in a responsible andÌýethical manner, and we are committedÌýto supporting projects that carefully consider and attempt to avoid negative environmental, social and cultural impacts. Where relevant, successful applicantsÌýmust obtain their institution’s ethical approval before grant funds can be paid. Independent projects not affiliated with an institutionÌýmust complete and submit the below ethical assessment form, which will be reviewed by the Society's Grants Programme Ethics Committee.

Ethical assessmentÌýform

Before filling out the form, you should think about the potential consequences of your research. For example, could your work offend the cultural sensitivities of the people you are working among? Have you gainedÌýappropriate consent from, or on behalf of, participants or others affected by the research? What measures are you taking to ensure the confidentiality of information supplied by research subjects and the anonymity of respondents (unless otherwise agreed with research subjects and respondents)?

The review process should be proportional to the likely risk (for example, research on vulnerable groups or at-risk populations demands more careful attention than other forms of research).Ìý

The following resources are a good starting point for thinking about the ethical dimensions of your research.

Additional resources on codes of conduct for field research can be found in ourÌýHigher Education resources.

• The Society's

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• Kara, H. (2018) Research Ethics in the Real World, Bristol: Policy Press.

• Lunn, J. (ed.) (2014) Fieldwork in the Global South: Ethical Challenges and Dilemmas, London: Routledge. Particularly Nora Fagerholm’s chapter, 'Whose knowledge, whose benefit? Ethical challenges of participatory mapping. Experience from fieldwork on mapping community values on land in Zanzibar’, pages 158-169

• Journal of Research Practice (2014). Themed issue on ‘’

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• ​Clare Madge’s chapter in ‘Postgraduate Fieldwork in Developing Areas’,Ìýpublished by DARG and edited by Elspeth Robson and Katie Willis

• Jenny Robinson’s 2003 article ‘Postcolonialising geography: tactics and pitfalls’ in the Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography,Ìývolume 24, pages 273-289