Feminist research has argued that the use of pseudonyms or rather the imposition of pseudonyms, although a requirement for ethics, is in fact unethical. Researchers need to shift into a collaborative relationship with their participants and acknowledging their agency. This includes creating research frameworks which are of benefit to both researchers and participants. Vulnerable communities offer a plethora of knowledge which enable us to challenge the status quo and create a better society. I do not believe we should remove ethics committees and ethical frameworks developed by academia. However, vulnerable communities should be allowed to develop their own ethics frameworks. Researchers must acknowledge that vulnerable communities are experts and have the capacity to develop ethical frameworks, and require that researchers adhere to them.
Ethics ensure that researchers adhere to good practice when undertaking work. This is of utmost importance when research endeavours seek to study vulnerable groups.
Recently the San community of sub-Saharan Africa developed an ethical framework for researchers who want to undertake research in their communities. This community has essentially created an ethics committee which must approve the researcher’s proposal before permitting the research.
The rationale for this was ‘researcher fatigue’. Many over-researched communities have voiced concerns of how researchers tend to ensure they abide by the ethics regulations of their respective institutions whilst ignoring the study participants' own ethical frameworks. Reducing them to mere subjects to be studied under a proverbial microscope. Research should be collaborative and this extends to ethics.
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