Military Security and Research Ethics: Using Principles of Research Ethics to Navigate Military Security Dilemmas

Classified information

Permission from authorities

Confidentiality as a legal principle

Formal security clearance

“Need-to-know”

Organisational or national interests

Data management

Sensitive information

Consent from individuals

Confidentiality as ethics

Integrity

Curiosity

Personal interests of the participants and the researchers

Data management

Familiarise yourself with research ethics as stated in the code of conduct and the provisions for military security. What might be at stake for whom?

Read the methods sections of research similar to what you intend to do. Focus on practicalities!

Go through the questions in a Data Management Plan (see DMP online: https://dmponline.deic.dk). Consider the need for additional questions related to military security.

Understand the organisation’s concerns and situation before you address the commander and ask for access. You will need to address the risk calculus. Remember that this negotiation of access is also empirical material.

Do not assume that a security clearance, a uniform or prior service warrants unrestricted access, nor that researchers outside the military are barred from access. Expect that the insider/outsider construction is never fully settled.

There might be a need for a formal agreement between the military organisation, the researcher, and the researcher’s institution.

When you approach research participants, explain briefly what they consent to, how they can opt-out later, and how data is managed, stored, analysed, and eventually deleted.

Per default, active-duty personnel should be anonymised. In some cases, this might not be possible or appropriate.

Protect your integrity; your conclusions are yours.

The authority that granted access could be offered to read the final products.

Consider classifying the final product or cut details, but only as a last resort.