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Paper short abstract:

I bring exciting experiences, lessons and nuances of 'responsible research' and 'integrity' encountered by an 'insider researcher' in fieldwork. Again, I will contribute new insights in reflecting on local people's rights to anonymity and confidentiality in publications to promote integrity.

Paper long abstract:

This paper reflects on the fieldwork experiences and lessons of the doctoral researcher in the Sikalenge and Lubimbi wards in the Binga district, Zimbabwe. It considers firstly the University of Reading Research Ethics processes and how it relates or does not relate with the reality during fieldwork in the study sites. Secondly, the paper examines the doctoral researcher’s positionality as an ‘insider researcher’ and how it mapped or did not map the reality the researcher experienced during fieldwork. The researcher used field diaries on fieldwork as primary data for writing the paper. He also conducted a desk review on the critical scholarship of responsible research ethics and positionality in the social science discipline. The study reveals that the University of Reading Research Ethics processes are relevant to a more considerable extent. However, due to contextual factors such as culture, politics and policy entrepreneurs, the ethics guidelines need to be tweaked to suit the local situations. The paper suggests considering local ethics approval via a more formal institutional link with a University in the country where the research is being undertaken. The study also provides new insights into the positionality of the ‘insider researcher’. Because the researcher profoundly knew the local context and dynamics of the study community, his social ties rippled far and wide; perhaps the published papers by the insider researcher might compromise local people’s rights to anonymity and confidentiality.