The voice as subject or object

The voice as subject or object

Ethical clearance relies on the researcher taking into account impacts on participants involved in research. Inherent in this understanding are the ethical and moral expectations to prevent harm. This chapter considers one perspective of preventing harm by considering how the research positions the participant. The different ways a participant is positioned in research allow for perspectives around voice to be examined. In research the participant can be observed or interviewed in order to understand a phenomenon, which then positions the participant as the object of knowledge, where the voice may not be heard. Alternatively the participant through reflective engagement becomes the subjective participant where the voice is the primary consideration of data collection and analysis. The differing view of the participant as either object or subject in the research needs to be pondered upon. As a researcher, the way the participant is positioned enables ethical decisions regarding the use and collection of data. This chapter outlines the current ideas around the positioning of participants' voice, in order for researchers to examine the ethics of their own practice.

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