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Oral History and Ethical Practice: Towards Effective Policies and Procedures

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Abstract

This article examines how Canadian ethics policies affects historians who use oral history, and focuses on privacy and confidentiality, free and informed consent, and research involving Aboriginal peoples. The article concludes with recommendations for developing ethics policies that accord with historical methodology.

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Notes

  1. I thank Peter L. Twohig for these suggestions.

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Acknowledgements

My thinking about the disjuncture between the TCPS and oral history has been sharpened in conversations with Emily Arrowsmith (Department of History, Carleton University), Dr Margaret Conrad (CRC in Atlantic Canada Studies, University of New Brunswick), Dr Marc Milner (Department of History, University of New Brunswick), Janis Thiessen, Dr R. Steven Turner (Department of History, University of New Brunswick), Sharon Weaver (PhD Cand., University of Guelph), Jennifer Whiteside (Hospital Employees Union), and Doreen Worden. The recommendations are based on a submission to the Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics Consultation written in collaboration with Dr Sarah Carter (Department of History, University of Calgary) and Dr Peter L. Twohig (CRC in Atlantic Canada Studies, Gorsebrook Research Institute, Saint Mary’s University). All errors or omissions are my responsibility.

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Janovicek, N. Oral History and Ethical Practice: Towards Effective Policies and Procedures. J Acad Ethics 4, 157–174 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-006-9017-1

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