Introduction

The Research Ethics Committee (ResEthics) of the Faculty of Humanities has been established according to a directive from the Senate Committee for Research Ethics and Integrity of the University of Pretoria. This committee has a twofold goal. In the first place, it is the function of ResEthics to ensure that all research in the Faculty of Humanities that utilises human subjects and/or informants is bound by specific ethical principles. Secondly, ResEthics has a monitoring function in respect of generally accepted scientific principles that underlie all research. The underlying rationale is to preserve and respect the rights, freedom and well-being of all people. ResEthics therefore acts to protect the community from where the human research subjects have been selected. ResEthics does not function in the place of the ethically conscious researcher, who must take the responsibility for his/her human subjects and/or informants and control group. Rather, ResEthics reminds all researchers in the Humanities that there is a complex network of individuals and systems concerned with research undertakings. ResEthics therefore serves as a go-between in this network of people in order, where necessary, to exercise impartial adjudication of the execution of research. This function is performed with due circumspection throughout so that the integrity of the Faculty and the University, is not jeopardised.

Who are the Research Ethics committee?

The committee consists of the following selected members:

Prof Innocent Pikirayi (Chair)

Prof Karen Harris (Historical and Heritage Studies)

Mr Anthony Bizos (Political Sciences)

Dr Anna-Marie de Beer (Ancient and Modern Languages & Cultures)

Dr Andeline dos Santos (Music)

Dr Priscilla Gutura (Social Work and Criminology)

Dr Ensa Johnson (Center for Augmentative and Alternative Communication)

Prof David Maree (Psychology)

Mr Ahmed Mohamed (Psychology)

Dr Idette Noomè (English)

Dr Charles Puttergill (Sociology)

Prof Duncan Reyburn (Visual Arts)

Prof Elsabè Taljard (African Languages)

Prof Vusi Thebe (Anthropology and Archaeology)

Prof Maggi Soer (Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology)

Ms Tracey Andrew (Committee Secretariat)

Ms Dorcas Mokalapa (Committee Secretariat)

Adv. Annelize Nienaber (Legal History & Comparative Law) (Consulting Member)

Meetings on proposals

The Committee meets on the last Thursday of every month (excluding December). Meeting dates for the 2020 academic year:

30 January 2020
27 February 2020
2 April 2020
7 & 28 May 2020
25 June 2020
30 July 2020
27 August 2020
1 & 29 October 2020
26 November 2020