Indigenous Research Ethics

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Below is an extract from the Australian NHMRC document on Indigenous research ethics. Read about what happens when these ethics are ignored, in my article Indigenous Culture Study.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples do not intend to forego the

distinctiveness of their cultures. Barriers between research and Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Peoples have been created for example where some researchers

or institutions have ignored or sought to undermine this distinctiveness. The

repeated marginalisation in research of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values

has reinforced these barriers over time creating a 'collective memory' that is an

obstacle to research today. Researchers will need to make particular effort to deal

with the perception of research held by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

communities as an exploitative exercise. They will need to demonstrate through

ethical negotiation, conduct and dissemination of research that they are trustworthy

and will not repeat the mistakes of the past.

It is, therefore,

essential that researchers engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

communities collectively, not just with individuals.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples vigorously oppose the assimilation,

integration or subjugation of their values and will defend them against

perceived or actual encroachment. Researchers must be aware of the history

and the continuing potential for research to encroach on these values.