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Belfast Project Protection of Research Letter From American Sociological Association Presidents
Belfast Project Protection of Research Letter From American Sociological Association Presidents
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As elected officers of the ASA we support Boston Colleges effort to
protect confidential research information from subpoena. The release
of the Belfast Project interview data threatens the academic freedom
to study difficult and controversial topics. It undercuts the willingness
of potential participants in future research to share valuable
information. In the short run, such intrusion in research seeking to
understand past tragedies can harm the processes through which
Northern Ireland now seeks political stability. And in the long run, we
must weigh the potential damage to social science that can provide a
firmer knowledge base for avoiding these types of conflicts in the
future.
For these reasons, we hereby affirm the right of research
confidentiality, which is fundamental to social research.
Respectfully,
Ruth Milkman
President
Professor of Sociology, City University of New York Graduate Center
Paula England
Immediate Past President
Professor, New York University
Michle Lamont
President Elect
Professor of Sociology
Harvard University