Ethics in historical research

Context

Although the subject matter and sources for historical research differ from that of mainstream health and social care research, there is still a requirement for historians to behave ethically and to follow a recognised code of practice, for example: American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), 2012.

Historical research frequently involves encountering records that include personal, sensitive, or potentially distressing information about individuals who cannot be consulted or whose capacity to respond no longer exists. In publishing and curating such material, we exercise judgement that honours both historical integrity and respect for persons.

Our approach to editorial decisions is guided by established professional standards for public history and archival practice. In particular, we draw on the principles outlined in the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) Statement of Professional Standards and Ethics (2012), which emphasises responsibilities including:

• striving for accuracy and completeness
• respecting the dignity and privacy of subjects
• interpreting historical evidence fairly and in context
• acknowledging limitations of sources

Where historical records contain material that is unverified, intrusive, or incapable of meaningful contextualisation, we may choose to:

• omit such material from public presentation,
• summarise it in less-detailed form,
• or frame it with explanatory context that clarifies its limitations.

This practice reflects a balance between:

• advancing scholarly and public understanding, and
• exercising ethical restraint when dealing with sensitive content that cannot be meaningfully justified or responded to by affected individuals.

In this way, we aim to honour both the rigour of historical inquiry and the ethical obligations that accompany the stewardship of personal records.

Presentation

This is a video from the Massive Open Online Course "Researching British Army Nurses" and it makes reference to the course and the participants, so do not be confused by that! The Vimeo video stream should be clever enough to detect the type of video stream you need for your device. If you do have difficulties with watching the video please contact me.

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Local File

Local File might collect personal data.

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Practical example of ethics in historical research

This article concerned a lady identified as Mary Rutherford Ives and was sent in to Keiron by a family historian asking for the report to be verified:

There were many irregularities in this report:

• No nurse has ever been awarded the Victoria Cross;
• The Victoria Cross was never awarded for general service and only for very specific acts of bravery in the face of the enemy;
• Mary Rutherford could not be identified on any data source related to the Boer War, although this in itself did not preclude her service;
• Mary Rutherford was not known as one of the Nightingale nurses who went to South Africa and they were well documented;
• If she had volunteered for service at the start of the war she could not have gone to the Transvaal, which at that point was a Boer Republic (unless she was a volunteer for the medical support to the Boers for which she would not have got recognition from Britain);
• Few nurses stayed four years in South Africa. The war lasted three years and those that stayed were those who joined the QAIMNS or who were retained for Government service.
• If she was awarded anything on her return after four years it would have been by the King as Queen Victoria had died by then.

Like many family histories, their's was based on snippets of information and this newspaper report. What should I have told the family that asked for my help?