Ethical Considerations and Interpretive Process
I was always mindful of institutional review board (IRB) protocols while collecting data for Interpreting Court Song in Uganda. Before carrying out research for my 2016 study on the historical role of royal court musicians during the reign of King Sir Edward Muteesa II (r. 1939–1966), I submitted a procedure for research activities involving human subjects to the Florida State University IRB office. The office determined that my study was exempt, with no further IRB review and approval required to publish my findings. Furthermore, I considered my own biases, specifically how my prior knowledge of Kiganda court music could unproductively impact research activities related to this project. I was also mindful of potential ethical concerns that would arise from this project’s focus on works performed or composed by artists I had worked closely with as teachers, band mates, associates, colleagues, and research collaborators.
Moreover, documenting interpreters’ comments on power relations required that I pay special attention to ethical issues, that I explain to interpreters the nature of this project, the implications of their participation, and my intent to publish their responses. It also required a close focus on issues of privacy, as many of them discussed politically sensitive topics. For some, commenting on such topics necessitated trust that only came with time as we built rapport. As interpreters became increasingly comfortable in our conversations, they were more willing to get outside of their comfort zones and explore different dimensions of political life. With all these and other related issues being discussed, I began conducting formal interviews. I obtained verbal and written consent to both record and publish participants’ responses at the start of each session. Throughout our conversations, I inquired about their level of comfort with commenting on political issues and guaranteed anonymity if necessary. Given this project’s focus on meaning and interpretation, most interview sessions focused on lyrical content. Much of the process of exploring different flows of power in Kiganda court songs centered on open-ended interviews. I would play recordings of songs to interpreters, review Luganda transcriptions of the songs’ lyrics, and then ask the interviewees to comment on the pieces in relation to political life in Uganda. Some participants would also comment on possible applications of the lyrical content, transforming the songs from mere historical texts to frameworks for interrogating the notion of power relations. This variety of activities promoted a rich discourse about the songs’ connections to political life.
Similarly, supplementing song recordings with transcriptions of lyrics allowed commentators to closely study the repertoire we discussed and to deeply reflect on its relevance to power. Some noted that both audio recordings and written text helped them better understand and engage with the nuances of the lyrics. Moreover, combining dialogue, transcript reviews, and listening sessions minimized the anxiety associated with providing commentary. This strategy allowed for a more dynamic and engaging process of meaning-making, one that naturally encouraged participants to reflect on and discuss issues that were closer to their hearts in a relaxed environment. Because most interviews lasted for several hours, I offered interpreters breaks, which allowed for greater concentration and less fatigue over the course of our conversations. These moments also enabled participants to reflect on additional topics they wanted to discuss, to think more deeply about certain details, and to ask me questions. Their feedback on my interview style and questions proved helpful and prompted me to make constructive changes in subsequent sessions. Although I would incorporate new topics that previous interpreters had raised, I still encouraged subsequent interviewees to discuss topics that they felt most comfortable with. Participants’ continued feedback on my interview techniques also helped to refine my ability to use accessible and relatable language during conversations.