RR Workshop Proposal: Transparency and Qualitative Social Science

University Of California-Riverside, Riverside CA

Investigators

Abstract

This one and one-half day workshop will focus on the meanings, implications and impact of increased transparency and accountability in scientific research and scholarship for qualitative research. The workshop brings together practitioners from the disciplines of political science, sociology and anthropology to discuss the multiple meanings of transparency and accountability, both across and within different practices of science. This workshop focuses on ethical questions about the when, why, where and how of the impact of evaluation, transparency and accountability on qualitative work. The research agenda developed from this workshop will be of interest to researchers, policymakers and participants in qualitative research. This workshop will bring together qualitative researchers to focus on: (1) underlying assumptions of various calls to "make transparent" particular kinds of qualitative research data; (2) clarification of appropriate implementation activities to increase transparency; (3) the role of professional associations in discussion, development, and implementation of disciplinary standards; and (4) the role of data management plans in qualitative accountability. The workshop will contribute to improved understanding of issues arising from the calls for data access and transparency in the context of qualitative research. It will generate a white paper on the challenges identified for qualitative research, transcparency and accountability.