Calls have been made for researchers prospectively and continuously to engage study communities. If done, this typically occurs through a specific research study or collaboration. Rarely are community mores examined in-depth to understand implications for research ethics policy processes. We describe a qualitative study designed to understand local community values, beliefs, and practices that relate to research ethics in Botswana and explore how communities would want their interests represented. Through focus group discussions across two different selected ethnic communities and in-depth interviews with paramount chiefs, we highlight a range of community values and expectations that represent concrete behavioral representations of respect and trustworthiness. Communities are willing to engage in the process of enhancing research and research ethics policies and procedures. We invite future research and training that seek to connect local conceptualizations of substantive and procedural aspects of research ethics.

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Whitney’s text Balanced Ethics Review: A Guide for Institutional Review Board Members highlights and problematizes pertinent issues in the Institutional Review Board (IRB) review process with a focus on the USA. The book, which is meant for “IRB member or chair” engages readers in exploring in-depth and from multiple perspectives the debates on the roles and responsibilities of IRBs. Within this context, the author demonstrates the need for the IRB process that balances the protection of human subjects with the benefits of research to the society. Furthermore, the book engages readers in exploring and reflecting on the intersections between power relations, and the moral obligations of IRBs. Moreover, insights are provided into the work of federal agencies that “control the IRB system.”

In Research with children: Theory & practice, Michelle O’Reilly, Pablo Ronzoni and Nisha Dogra engage the readers in navigating the successes and hurdles of researching with diverse children. The book, which is meant for “researchers who are new to research with children” presents engaging descriptions on how to link in culturally sensitive ways the overall research process involving the lives and social situations of children who are participants in qualitative and quantitative research projects. Furthermore, the book balances the theory and practice of research with children through the activities used and the practical examples provided, some of which are drawn from the authors’ own work.