Towards ethical practice in the use of archived transcripted interviews

Abstract

Transcribed archived interviews are a data source which are becoming more widely used across a range of disciplines. Their use raises important ethical issues, particularly in the areas of relationships with research participants; informed consent; and confidentiality. The existing ethical guidelines that are available for social scientists or historians refer to the carrying out of interviews, but not to the secondary use of the transcripts that sometimes result from oral history or qualitative social research projects. This paper therefore questions whether the ethical relationship between interviewer and interviewee can be adopted and maintained by the reader of a transcripted interview and suggests that the ethical use of transcripted life-narratives cannot be governed by legal or contractual rules of possession, nor solely by the regulations laid down by oral history/archival organisations. The article concludes by asserting a need for social scientists and historians to develop and negotiate a shared ethical practice in the use of transcribed archived material and suggesting some approaches that may be taken.