Paper abstract:

Central Asian countries have recently been actively focusing on developing their research and knowledge production systems. However, very often research cultures in post-communist Central Asian contexts are debated to be under-developed with a particular concern over the lack of protocols for human subject research (Jonbekova, 2018; Shamatov, Schatz & Niyozov, 2010). Limited alignment with the international norms, particularly in relation to research ethics, makes it harder for researchers in Central Asia to equally participate in the global knowledge production system. Based on the quantitative survey responses of 296 social science researchers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, this paper explores the social scientists’ understandings of research ethics, and more specifically of the basic research ethics principles, such as respect for persons, beneficence, and justice, as they are stipulated in the Belmont Report (1978). The findings show that Central Asian social science researchers do not have a conception of the basic ethical principles of research involving human subjects. Instead, in their research they make a strong emphasis on the fundamental values of academic integrity. With such characteristics of a researcher as honesty, responsibility and respectfulness highlighted, it can be concluded that social science researchers in Central Asia perceive research ethics more as an individual responsibility. Likewise, with only 35% of the respondents reported having a research ethics committee (REC) at their institutions, the majority believe that research ethics should be followed and practiced by researchers themselves.