How and when should we (not) speak?: Ethical knowledge production about the Russia–Ukraine war

Abstract

Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine poses significant challenges for researchers from diverse academic traditions. On one hand, the reactions of various societies to the unfolding events require immediate consideration and conceptualisation. On the other, the conflict poses significant ethical and methodological difficulties due to its sensitivity and the positionality of researchers interested in studying it. Based on our experiences conducting both qualitative and quantitative research since 24 February 2022, this paper explores the ethical implications of producing and disseminating authoritative knowledge about the war. We begin by reflecting on our obligations as scholars—both to our participants and ourselves—when studying war and conflict. We then consider our epistemological positions and responsibilities within the context of the Russia–Ukraine war. From there, we outline key methodological deliberations around research design and data collection necessary for speaking sensitively, transparently, and rigorously about the conflict. We conclude that the production of knowledge about the war requires an elevation of ethics above research outputs to protect our participants, ourselves, and the larger communities affected by the conflict. At its core, this paper thus underscores that ethical knowledge production sometimes requires scholars to remain silent.