Care, Character, and Conversation

A response to “Why should I care? Research ethics in the field of adult L2 literacy”

Author(s)

  • Thomas R.V. Nys University of Amsterdam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51751/dujal24821

Keywords:

Care ethics, virtue ethics, informed consent, autonomy

Abstract

This is a reflection on a paper by Shepperd and Dalderop, ‘Why Should I Care? Research Ethics in the Field of Adult L2 Literacy.’ I agree with their analysis that there is often a 'gap' between formal ethics procedures and actual 'good research' as it is understood in practice. I think this 'gap' extends more generally and I offer some brief thoughts on possible reconceptualizations of 'autonomy', 'informed consent' and 'virtue' that might be relevant for research ethics. 

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References

Benner, P. (1997). A dialogue between virtue ethics and care ethics. Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, 18(1–2), 47 61. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005797100864

Biokafi, E., & Fazeli, A. (2023). “Ethics of care”, a Branch of Virtue Ethics or an Independent Approach in Ethics? A review of Michael Slote and Virginia Held’s perspective. Journal of Philosophical Investigations, 17(44), 130 149. https://doi.org/10.22034/jpiut.2023.54474.3429

Garcia, M. (2022). The Conversation on Sex: Philosophy for Everyone. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice: Psychological theory and women’s development. Harvard University Press.

Held, V. (2006). The ethics of care: Personal, political, and global. Oxford University Press.

Honneth, A. (1996). The struggle for recognition: The moral grammar of social conflicts (J. Anderson, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (Original work published 1992)

Mackenzie, C., & Stoljar, N. (Eds.). (2000). Relational autonomy: Feminist perspectives on autonomy, agency, and the social self. New York: Oxford University Press.

Mackenzie, C. (2008). Relational autonomy, normative authority and perfectionism. Journal of Social Philosophy, 39(4), 512–533. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9833.2008.00440.x

Sander-Staudt, M. (2006). The unhappy marriage of care ethics and virtue ethics. Hypatia, 21(4), 21 39. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1527-2001.2006.tb01126.x

Shepperd, L., & Dalderop, K. (2025). Why should I care? Research ethics in the field of adult L2 literacy”. Dutch Journal of Applied Linguistics.

Thomas, A. (2011). Virtue ethics and an ethics of care: Complementary or in conflict? Eidos: Revista de Filosofía de la Universidad del Norte, 14, 132 151.

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Published

23-03-2026

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How to Cite

Nys, T. (2026). Care, Character, and Conversation: A response to “Why should I care? Research ethics in the field of adult L2 literacy”. Dutch Journal of Applied Linguistics, 15. https://doi.org/10.51751/dujal24821