Information Ethics from a Multicultural Perspective: Content Analysis of Selected Library and Information Science Publications

Abstract

Information ethics governs the way in which information is created, manipulated, and used. The integration of ethical values in education and coursework has been of interest in many fields, including the discipline of library and information science (LIS). Integrating information ethics in library and information science education and research is essential for preparing the next generation of information professionals for an increasingly diverse and multicultural society. This study examines information ethics from multicultural perspectives by exploring the extent to which LIS faculty view and articulate information ethics in their research and scholarly publications. The study sample was assembled by identifying the top LIS schools in the United States, selecting one LIS faculty member for each school, and examining the research output for each scholar for the use of multicultural and information ethics terminology. The text analysis was conducted using Python. Faculty were selected for the study based on their engagement in multicultural research rather than their minority status. The study results indicate that information ethics is not a primary research focus of LIS scholarship. There is no uniform reference for information ethics, and the most commonly associated terms received low percentage results. The impact of information ethics should be considered in every area of LIS scholarship and practice.