Community Participation as an Ethical Principle for Research

Abstract

There is a long history of research with Indigenous peoples by outsiders, and many Indigenous communities have felt exploited. Terms such as drive-by research have been used, as well as expressions such as “we have been researched to death.” Anthropology itself has been accused of spying, and Vine Deloria asked anthropologists to “become productive members” in an Indigenous community “instead of ideological vultures” treating people as objects. A great many Indigenous communities and organizations are now requesting outside researchers to join their communities in a collaborative research partnership, and some have produced ethical principles for research highlighting this participatory relationship. In this article, I discuss some of this history and current direction, giving examples of Indigenous research partnerships and Indigenous research from the inside. Participatory research is extended beyond Indigenous communities to the social sciences, as positive outcomes are being seen across disciplines.