Indigenous rights-based approaches to decolonising research methodologies in settler colonial contexts
IntroductionIndigenous knowledge and perspectives continue to be misrepresented and misunderstood in settler colonial states, including within academic circles. This is particularly the case in the field of research, where non-Indigenous researchers continue to design and conduct research in their f...
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| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frma.2025.1553208/full |
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| author | Peter Anderson Zane M. Diamond Thu Pham Angela Baeza Peña Carla Tapia Levon Blue Melanie Saward Angelina Hurley Kate Pecar Amanda Kelly Owen Forbes Veronica Goerke Jeane Diamond Abby Cathcart Chizu Sato Koji Maeda Russell Fox Wren D. W. Howe |
| author_facet | Peter Anderson Zane M. Diamond Thu Pham Angela Baeza Peña Carla Tapia Levon Blue Melanie Saward Angelina Hurley Kate Pecar Amanda Kelly Owen Forbes Veronica Goerke Jeane Diamond Abby Cathcart Chizu Sato Koji Maeda Russell Fox Wren D. W. Howe |
| author_sort | Peter Anderson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionIndigenous knowledge and perspectives continue to be misrepresented and misunderstood in settler colonial states, including within academic circles. This is particularly the case in the field of research, where non-Indigenous researchers continue to design and conduct research in their field of expertise without appropriate collaboration and guidance from Indigenous experts.MethodWe explore the Indigenous rights-based approach (IRBA) as a means of decolonising research methodologies, focussing on the Australian context as a case study, where an Aboriginal Australian higher education expert has worked in a dyadic relationship with one Aboriginal and 16 non-Aboriginal subject experts to develop their knowledge, skills, and understanding of how to employ IBRA in their research. After working collaboratively, it became possible to analyse the similarities and differences in the use of IBRA across various fields of study.ResultsOur analysis reveals five key aspects that were revealed during the implementation of the Indigenous rights-based approach: (1) Indigenous People as Data, (2) Protocols of engagement, (3) Privileging Indigenous Knowledge Systems, (4) Community Benefit, and (5) Tackling Doctoral Research Training.DiscussionWe found that an Indigenous rights-based approach is crucial for decolonising research in settler colonial states such as Australia. Working in a dyadic partnership between an Indigenous higher education expert and academic researchers across several disciplines, we have seen an emergent approach to researching with Indigenous Peoples that allows non-Aboriginal researchers to work with Indigenous people in a manner that is ethical, relevant, and significant for Indigenous communities, contributing to place-based reconciliation and Indigenous community empowerment.ConclusionWe recommend how non-Indigenous researchers can collaborate with their universities to successfully implement an IRBA. Critically, this will require each university to employ Indigenous higher education experts who will lead and support professional development in research with non-Aboriginal people and communities. This will require a fundamental shift in how research is conceptualised, conducted, and disseminated. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d8748b83b4c9487490258c44e1b84a32 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2504-0537 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics |
| spelling | doaj-art-d8748b83b4c9487490258c44e1b84a322025-08-20T03:50:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics2504-05372025-07-011010.3389/frma.2025.15532081553208Indigenous rights-based approaches to decolonising research methodologies in settler colonial contextsPeter Anderson0Zane M. Diamond1Thu Pham2Angela Baeza Peña3Carla Tapia4Levon Blue5Melanie Saward6Angelina Hurley7Kate Pecar8Amanda Kelly9Owen Forbes10Veronica Goerke11Jeane Diamond12Abby Cathcart13Chizu Sato14Koji Maeda15Russell Fox16Wren D. W. Howe17Indigenous Research Unit, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaFaculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaIndigenous Research Unit, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaCarumba Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaIndigenous Research Unit, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaOffice of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement), University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaSchool of Communication and Arts, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaCreative Arts Research Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaCollege of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaCollege of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, AustraliaCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, ACT, Australia0Equity and Inclusion, Student Life and Community, Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Indigenous Stewardship, Biodiversity and Environment Group (ISBE), Curtin University, Perth, WA, AustraliaFaculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia1Success and Teaching Advancement (Learning and Teaching Unit), Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia2Division of Arts and Sciences, College of Liberal Arts, International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan3Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan4Faculty of Education, School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia4Faculty of Education, School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaIntroductionIndigenous knowledge and perspectives continue to be misrepresented and misunderstood in settler colonial states, including within academic circles. This is particularly the case in the field of research, where non-Indigenous researchers continue to design and conduct research in their field of expertise without appropriate collaboration and guidance from Indigenous experts.MethodWe explore the Indigenous rights-based approach (IRBA) as a means of decolonising research methodologies, focussing on the Australian context as a case study, where an Aboriginal Australian higher education expert has worked in a dyadic relationship with one Aboriginal and 16 non-Aboriginal subject experts to develop their knowledge, skills, and understanding of how to employ IBRA in their research. After working collaboratively, it became possible to analyse the similarities and differences in the use of IBRA across various fields of study.ResultsOur analysis reveals five key aspects that were revealed during the implementation of the Indigenous rights-based approach: (1) Indigenous People as Data, (2) Protocols of engagement, (3) Privileging Indigenous Knowledge Systems, (4) Community Benefit, and (5) Tackling Doctoral Research Training.DiscussionWe found that an Indigenous rights-based approach is crucial for decolonising research in settler colonial states such as Australia. Working in a dyadic partnership between an Indigenous higher education expert and academic researchers across several disciplines, we have seen an emergent approach to researching with Indigenous Peoples that allows non-Aboriginal researchers to work with Indigenous people in a manner that is ethical, relevant, and significant for Indigenous communities, contributing to place-based reconciliation and Indigenous community empowerment.ConclusionWe recommend how non-Indigenous researchers can collaborate with their universities to successfully implement an IRBA. Critically, this will require each university to employ Indigenous higher education experts who will lead and support professional development in research with non-Aboriginal people and communities. This will require a fundamental shift in how research is conceptualised, conducted, and disseminated.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frma.2025.1553208/fullIndigenous rights-based researchdecolonisationresearch methodologieseducationsettler colonialismIndigenous knowledge |
| spellingShingle | Peter Anderson Zane M. Diamond Thu Pham Angela Baeza Peña Carla Tapia Levon Blue Melanie Saward Angelina Hurley Kate Pecar Amanda Kelly Owen Forbes Veronica Goerke Jeane Diamond Abby Cathcart Chizu Sato Koji Maeda Russell Fox Wren D. W. Howe Indigenous rights-based approaches to decolonising research methodologies in settler colonial contexts Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics Indigenous rights-based research decolonisation research methodologies education settler colonialism Indigenous knowledge |
| title | Indigenous rights-based approaches to decolonising research methodologies in settler colonial contexts |
| title_full | Indigenous rights-based approaches to decolonising research methodologies in settler colonial contexts |
| title_fullStr | Indigenous rights-based approaches to decolonising research methodologies in settler colonial contexts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Indigenous rights-based approaches to decolonising research methodologies in settler colonial contexts |
| title_short | Indigenous rights-based approaches to decolonising research methodologies in settler colonial contexts |
| title_sort | indigenous rights based approaches to decolonising research methodologies in settler colonial contexts |
| topic | Indigenous rights-based research decolonisation research methodologies education settler colonialism Indigenous knowledge |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frma.2025.1553208/full |
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