Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Education in Emergencies (EiE): A Compendium of Vignettes for Research & Practice

In conducting program, research, and/or evaluation activities in the education in emergencies (EiE) field, individuals may find themselves unprepared to address the ethical dilemmas that inevitably arise in these settings. To bridge this gap, a group of researchers, practitioners, and graduate students contributed to a curated collection of 18 short vignettes based on the real-life challenges and ethical dilemmas they faced working across different national contexts. 

Each vignette is accompanied by a shared set of discussion questions that ask participants to identify the ethical dilemmas, to think through how best to address the dilemma in the moment, and to explore what steps might have been taken to avoid or mitigate this dilemma from the beginning. Additional discussion questions encourage participants to consider how power, positionality, and identity markers of those involved (e.g. nationality, gender, race, class, sexuality, dis/ability, religion, etc.) may lead to different ways to consider the dilemma and the appropriate responses. 

By integrating real-life scenarios, this compendium aims to strengthen and support emerging and future researchers and practitioners’ skills and readiness to identify, reflect on, and mitigate current and future ethical dilemmas accompanying educational research and programming in EiE settings.

Suggested citation: Mendenhall, M., Chopra, V., & Bazlen, R. (Eds.) (2022). Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Education in Emergencies (EiE): A Compendium of Vignettes for Research and Practice. Teachers College, Columbia University.