Carleton will be hosting a two-day pilot program in late August to prepare for its 10-day Summer Institute on Aboriginal Research Ethics scheduled for summer 2015.
The purpose of the two-day program is to have open discussions about ethical issues that arise when gathering and using Aboriginal research, according to Rodney Nelson, co-chair of Carleton’s Aboriginal Education Council.
“Researchers go into these communities to gather information for very specific studies, write their PhDs, and then move on,” he said. “But the research is often used over and over again in the future, impacting things such as land claims and education, without the consent of the communities.”
The Summer Institute project aims to train researchers in a new model of research, focused on partnering with Aboriginal communities, instead of viewing them as research subjects, according Mallory Whiteduck, Aboriginal cultural liaison officer at Carleton.
This will create guidelines that lead to more respectful and ethical use of Aboriginal research, she said.
“By striving to work with Aboriginal communities rather than creating or using data about them without their knowledge or consent, researchers can limit the harm created by their studies,” Whiteduck said.
Carleton is the first university to take this initiative. The pilot is funded by the federal government’s secretariat for responsible research which provided $50,000, according to a Carleton press release.
Nelson said this development is highly desired by many Aboriginal communities.
“Research is happening on every level, from NGOs to educational institutes, and the high demand for this research is overwhelming for many Aboriginal communities,” he said.
“What these communities want, then, are some guidelines for researchers on how to approach them, how to partner with them, and how to use the information gathered ethically.”
To achieve this goal, the organizers of the institute have engaged the Aboriginal community in the development of the program and to hear what they want, said Whiteduck.
An initial engagement session was held where members of various communities were invited to participate and share their opinions on the project.
The engagement was not limited to one session, Nelson said.
“We’ve been consulting community members and elders for many years about this,” he said. “Their input has been ongoing and will continue throughout the pilot and Summer Institute.”
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