FOSSR Fifth Online Seminar: Ethical Issues in Research Infrastructures for the Social Sciences

The folder contains the presentations and abstracts of the FOSSR Fifth Online Seminar dedicated to provide an overview of the main ethical aspects inherent in social science research, particularly within the context of Research Infrastructures. The first part highlights the importance of rigorous research design and of responsible data sharing to safeguard participants’ dignity, autonomy, safety and wellbeing, while also presenting the procedures involved in preparing a research project for obtaining ethical clearance. The second part examines the specific ethical considerations related to open social science, with particular attention to the complexity of balancing ethical principles (e.g., protecting research participants) with scientific needs (e.g., ensuring that data are reusable). Overall, an ethics by design approach is encouraged to allow researchers to anticipate the potential societal implications of their work, identify possible risks, and mitigate harm from the earliest stages of project planning.