Hybrid researching race-related issues during COVID-19: Methodological conundrums

In the present article, I discuss important ethical considerations that I made as a doctoral researcher while conducting a partially virtual research study on a sensitive topic during COVID-19. I start by briefly discussing my research topic. Following this, drawing from unanticipated situations that I encountered, I critically analyze procedural ethical guidelines by asking ethical committees to consider flexibility to fulfill the desired research objectives. Furthermore, I take examples from my research to describe how I tried to establish rapport and trust with participants involving minors and key workers amidst the pandemic. I then discuss how I solved the ethical challenges involving students’ informed consent and complicated phases of negotiation concerning data collection. I adopted a responsible-cum-response-able strategy, which developed eventually as I progressed through my study during the successive stages of the pandemic. The key to this strategy was to go with the flow flexibly, realistically, and responsibly without losing sight of the ethical considerations. I conclude by maintaining that it is vital for a researcher to practice reflexivity throughout the study not simply to tick boxes for institutional approval but to ensure integrity for rigorous research.