Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues
The case study indicates the work which is being carried out by the sociologist in understanding the subculture of an Urban Slum. Even though the Sociologist has come to know that there is a car-theft ring in the slum, she is unable to take any action or even report the matter to police as this will completely interrupt the study that she is conducting and the objectives she is trying to achieve. According to the ethical rules, it is important for the sociologist to inform the people of the community that she has come for investigation and what is the reason for the research. Sociologists are required to form relationships with the research subject. Code of ethics required the sociologist to protect the privacy of the subjects and avoid any situation which can create a feeling of deception. Code of ethics requires her not to take any action which can harm the research subjects. She needs to follow the code of ethics and create a balance and avoid any scenarios leading to any legal damage to the participants (Shepard 2012).
The case study clearly indicates that any action taken from the end of the sociologist will not only hamper her study, but also the community will no longer be able to trust her or any other person in the future. The relationship between the community and sociologist is at stake as she has just started to develop an understanding and confidence level in the people. The Sociologist is required not to carry our any research or take any action without considering the people of the community (Mark 2000).
References
Mark Kirby, “Sociology in Perspective”, Heinemann, 2000. Illustrated Print
Shepard J M, “Sociology, Updated”, Cengage Learning, 640 pages. 2012. Print
