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Before you begin
This page contains to two sub-pages of important information for scholars who are new to researching Indigenous issues and to Indigenous methodologies.
Indigenous Research, Methodologies and Ethical Practices
Decolonizing research, oral storytelling and knowledge traditions, quantitative and qualitative research strategies, authorship and more.
Research Training and Learning Opportunities
Expand your knowledge through unique training opportunities that include self-directed learning series, and certification courses.
Information and data sovereignty: FNIGC and OCAP
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The First Nations Principles of OCAPThe First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession – more commonly known as OCAP® – assert that First Nations have control over data collection processes, and that they own and control how this information can be used.
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FNIGC and OCAP Workshops and TrainingFNIGC offers a variety of education and training options to support both First Nations and others in asserting, respecting, and promoting OCAP®. The Fundamentals of OCAP® online course provides a foundation in OCAP® and introduces knowledge that can be translated into practical skills in a variety of settings.
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FNIGC Data OnlineFNIGC Data Online is an online service from the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC), Canada’s premier source of information about First Nations people living on reserve and in northern communities across Canada.
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FNIGC Online library: reports and publicationsThe home of the First Nations Information Governance Centre’s national reports and publications, as well as important resources and tools, the First Nations Information Governance Centre’s Online Library is the most complete resource for First Nations produced data and data-related information from the First Nations Information Governance Centre.
(P)articipatory Research
Participatory research is a collaborative approach that actively involves Indigenous communities as equal partners in all stages of the research process. In Indigenous contexts, participatory research fosters reciprocal relationships, respects self-determination, and supports the co-creation of knowledge rooted in Indigenous values and lived experiences. This empowers communities, strengthens capacity, and ensures that research supports cultural continuity, well-being, and meaningful change
"...participatory environmental restoration uses both local/Indigenous knowledge and Western science. In some cases, local knowledge can provide essential information not otherwise available to science."(Johnson, 2016)
Figure 1. Michigan Community Anishinaabe and Rural Energy Sovereignty (MICARES) Medicine Wheel Framework.
Schaefer, M. et al., 2021. Understanding Socio-Technological Systems Change through an Indigenous Community-Based Participatory Framework. Sustainability, 13(4), p.2257. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13042257.
Further reading
Johnson, J. T. et al. (2016) Weaving Indigenous and sustainability sciences to diversify our methods. Sustainability science. [Online] 11 (1), 1–11.
"Participatory conservation planning aims for the use of complementary knowledge from Western science and local/Indigenous communities. As in the case of monitoring, participatory conservation planning makes use of scale complementarities between the two kinds of knowledge" (Johnson, 2016).
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Participatory Biodiversity Conservation
by
ISBN: 3030416852Publication Date: 2020-05-14It has long been claimed that addressing biodiversity loss and other environmental problems demands a better understanding of the social dimensions of conservation; nevertheless, the active participation of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in conservation initiatives is still a challenging and somehow controversial issue. In this context, this book hopes to give voice to other perspectives related to biodiversity conservation beyond the “fortress conservation” model and emphasize one of the pillars of democracy – popular participation...
Further reading:
Jessen. (2022). Contributions of Indigenous Knowledge to ecological and evolutionary understanding. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment., 20(2), 93–101. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2435
Johnson, J. T. et al. (2016) Weaving Indigenous and sustainability sciences to diversify our methods. Sustainability science. [Online] 11 (1), 1–11.
You tell us
We welcome all feedback related to the Indigenous research guide at: libindigenous@library.uwaterloo.ca