Report
Race and ethnicity
Ethnic diversity and inequality: ethical and scientific rigour in social research
The desirability and feasibility of developing guidance to help decide when and how ethnicity should be included in social policy-relevant research projects.
This research addresses the increasing need for research to inform policy and practice development that is sensitive to the diversity of the UK's multiethnic population. Emphasis was given to the importance of ensuring that any guidance developed and promoted should be regularly appraised in light of the evolving social world and ethical and scientific standards.
The report:
- discusses the background and rationale of the study;
- describes the research, consultation and piloting processes;
- investigates the requirement for and desirability of guidance on ethnicity and where responsibility should lie for ensuring ethical and scientific rigour;
- identifies the form and content appropriate to relevant guidance documents;
- assesses the feasibility of developing these and their likely impact on research practice; and
- draws conclusions about the prospects for enhancing the quantity of UK social research that appropriately and sensitively addresses ethnicity.
This report is part of the race and ethnicity topic.
Find out more about our work in this area.