Challenges for Political Science Research Ethics in Autocracies: A Case Study of Central Asia.

The article focuses on the challenges and limitations of applying dominant Western research ethics frameworks—rooted in biomedical principles such as respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice—to political science research in authoritarian contexts, with a particular emphasis on Central Asia. It highlights how these frameworks, developed primarily in liberal democratic settings of the Global North, often fail to account for the cultural, political, and institutional realities of autocratic regimes like those in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, where issues such as informed consent, academic freedom, and participant safety are complex and nuanced. The authors argue for the development of more contextually sensitive and discipline-specific ethical guidelines that prioritize ongoing ethical support, researcher and participant safety, and recognition of local power dynamics, rather than relying solely on formal institutional approval processes. This tailored approach is deemed essential to responsibly conduct political science research in non-liberal democracies while mitigating risks to all involved.