The Macro Ethical Impediments in Academic Research: A View from Africa

Abstract

Globally and with respect to research ethics, northern Euro-centric norms have progressively consumed southern Afro-centric-norms and a critical appreciation of this realisation sets the scene for a review of the constitution of socially responsible and ethical science in the African context. Following a description of the three levels (micro, meso and macro) of ethical enquiry, this chapter will provide an African view of macro ethics from the context of higher education and then proceeds to highlight macro-ethical impediments. How research in the South can effectively meet the needs of society, if it is governed by the research culture and ethical codes of the North, is the central dilemma of this chapter. Against this backdrop, the chapter addresses the differing value systems in research ethics between North and South and critically considers “universality” in the social sciences while exploring the complexity in the contextual application of research ethics. The chapter concludes with two aspects. Firstly, a reflexive “in-ward critiquing” section in which the authors consider some of the views that exist in contradiction to arguments posed here. Finally, the chapter ends with an overview of some of the critical necessities for researchers in the South to address the macro-ethical impediments.