Research Methods

Aren't all research ethics the same?

Short answer? No, not all research ethics will be the same! This is because of Canada’s colonial history of harm and purposeful ignorance when conducting research on Aboriginal peoples and Indigenous ways of knowing. Such harm was enacted through the initial classifications of diverse First Nations, Métis and Inuit people into a homogenous class of humans who were considered lesser than the settler class. This harm continued through the creation of institutions to support this class system (including research-focused institutions like museums, archives, and libraries). This system continues to marginalize through a refusal to acknowledge Indigenous ways of knowing as valid, truthful, or current, and a privileging of Western epistemologies. In such a system, there has been a long history of silencing Aboriginal voices, wherein colonial collecting and researching (by anthropologists, missionaries, governments agents, etc.) and the placement of the research and material culture of Aboriginal peoples in libraries and archives has separated this material culture and knowledge from its original context. Due to this history of racism and separation, the collectors of Aboriginal objects and ways of knowing were often viewed as the experts on this material over Aboriginal peoples themselves. This system has led to a long legacy of research about (rather than with) Aboriginal peoples and their material culture, which has perpetuated unethical and unequal practices of research. Conducting ethical research with Aboriginal peoples requires an understanding of the historical relationship of harm that Western and colonial research methods have caused, and a desire to change methodologies so that research is respectful, relevant, reciprocal and responsible. It is important to remember that indigenous ways of knowing and material culture are directly tied to an indigenous peoples understanding of place, language, land and history; non-Aboriginal researchers must recognize this, and treat research practices with the necessary respect. This includes (but is not limited to): sincere consultation with a community, respect for culturally sensitive materials, and entering into discussions around how research will be shared.

Content from this module addresses iSchool Graduate Competencies 1.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1

Research Methods: Projects

Resources

Research Methods: Features

Adams, M. [MelGiskaast]. (2017, October 20). Q’s that run through my head when

non-Indigenous people/organizations ask me to participate in something, a threaaaddd:

[Tweet]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/MelGiskaast/status/921453369645871104

This thread of tweets, from Melissa Adams (the librarian and archivist for the Union of BC Indian Chiefs) runs through 24 questions that non-Indigenous researchers should ask themselves before contacting Indigenous individuals to request participation in a project. This list of questions clearly outlines what kinds of ethical and practical concerns researchers need to think about before entering into a project. It includes a number of clear calls for respect (“Have you asked Indigenous people what they want?”), relevance (“How will it benefit others?”), reciprocity (“Are you adequately compensating [Indigenous people] for their time, knowledge & experience?”), and responsibilities (“Do you realize that you are dealing with real people with real experiences..?”). This thread also highlights the importance of ongoing and sincere relationships between Indigenous individuals and non-Indigenous researchers (“Will I and my community see you again?”). This is a powerful and useful resource for researchers to think about and respond to, as it provides a thorough series of questions that will help researchers clarify where their methodologies may be uneven, and where more work needs to be done.

First Archivists Circle. (2006). Protocols for Native American archival materials. Salamanca, NY:

First Archivists Circle. Access October 3rd from http://www2.nau.edu/libnap-p/ protocols.html

This document is a series of best professional practices for “culturally responsive care and use of American Indian archival material”; the document focuses on care of these materials from a human rights lense, which asks researchers, archivists and librarians to explore and understand “Native American values and perspectives”. Like other professional ethics, it asks for consideration on topics like public access or intellectual property rights. However, it goes beyond what most other professional ethics consider, and includes specific topics like: the importance of consultation, recognition for culturally sensitive materials, and the need for reciprocal education and training. One section of particular interest will be “Native American Research Protocols”, which outlines actionable items for non-Indigenous researchers, librarians and archivists to take in order better conduct research with Indigenous communities. This document is a good resource as an introduction to topics about research with Indigenous peoples, and provides context to historical issues with various aspects of research along with a list of guidelines. It is best read alongside Adams’ thread, as they compliment each other, and Adams’ thread delves into more detailed questions to consider in early stages of a project than the First Archivists Circle protocols do.

Indigenous Research Methodologies. Research Ethics [Research Guide]. (2018, November

20). In University of British Columbia Research Guides. Retrieved November 22, 2018,

from https://guides.library.ubc.ca/c.php?g=383361&p=2597593

This research guide is a helpful resource for potential researchers looking to understand how to better conduct research with Indigenous communities. It provides a number of examples on what ethical Indigenous research might look like, and allows researchers to compare and contrast several different examples, in order to gain an understanding of how different Indigenous communities may want to interact with non-Indigenous researchers. This guide also succinctly breaks down the concepts of ownership, control, access and possession alluded to in Adams’ thread and the First Archivists Circle protocols. Like the the First Archivists Circle protocols, a number of the resources provided give actionable guides for researchers (for example, the Six Nations Council Research Ethics Committee Protocol). Several of the resources listed in this guide also provide Indigenous points of view of how researchers can both harm and help their communities, which will be useful reading for non-Indigenous researchers to help contextualize the work that they are doing.