Ethics in modern slavery research - challenges and the way forward.
Tuesday 17 December 2024, 12.30 - 1.15 pm
Speaker: Dr Wendy Asquith, University of Liverpool, who is also a Co-Investigator at the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC).
Research commissioned by the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC), conducted by the Universities of Liverpool and Nottingham, examined ethical challenges in modern slavery and human trafficking research and explored how inclusive, trauma-informed, and ethically robust practices can enhance both research quality and outcomes for participants.
The study identifies four critical areas for improvement: ethical governance, co-production and participatory methods, trauma-informed approaches, and ethical legacies. It highlights the need for reform in institutional structures, clearer onboarding for lived experience experts, specialised training on trauma-informed approaches, and a need to consider the legacies of research – both benefits and challenges - for all participants from the outset of projects.
The report recommends considering how to move beyond established often top-down ethics frameworks and adopt flexible and inclusive culture of continuous improvement and open dialogue, with structural changes necessary in the longer-term.
Dr Wendy Asquith from the University of Liverpool, who is also a Co-Investigator at the Modern Slavery and Human Rights PEC, will present the findings and open up a conversation on how to improve the ethics of the modern slavery research.
Modern Slavery PEC lunchtime seminar series
At the Modern Slavery PEC we believe in increasing the understanding of modern slavery, particularly through promoting the latest robust and relevant evidence in a way that is accessible to everyone.
This is why we have started a series of monthly lunchtime seminars, at which modern slavery researchers can share their latest findings with a diverse audience - everyone is welcome! The format is deliberately accessible and concise: no more than 15 minutes to present, followed by questions and discussion. Each seminar will last no longer than 45 minutes, which we hope will fit nicely into your lunch break!
We’ll be asking researchers who present to explain their findings in plain language that non-experts can easily understand, focusing on the real-world implications of their work and potential for impact on policy or practice, and, above all, on people and communities affected by modern slavery.
The seminars are open to anyone to join – you don’t have to be a researcher yourself. We encourage everyone interested to come along.
For those who can't make it, we will record the presentations and publish them on our YouTube channel and as short podcasts.
