Which ethical concern is commonly associated with ethnographic research?

The ethical concern commonly associated with ethnographic research is the risk of deception and lack of consent. Ethnographic studies often involve immersive observation and participation in the lives of the subjects being studied, sometimes without their explicit awareness or consent. This can lead to ethical dilemmas, particularly when the researcher’s presence may influence the behavior of participants or when sensitive information is gathered without their full understanding of the research context.

In ethnography, researchers might find themselves in situations where they need to balance the integrity of the research with the ethical obligations to the subjects. The goal is to gain deep insights into cultural practices or social interactions, but this can sometimes lead to instances where subjects are not fully informed about how their data will be used or even recognized as part of a study. This potential for deception or lack of explicit consent raises significant ethical questions about privacy, autonomy, and the responsibilities of researchers to their participants.