Indigenous Oral History Methods in Leadership Research

Abstract

This chapter discusses Indigenous oral history as an underexplored approach to conducting leadership research. Accounting for both Indigenous principles of oral history and its similarities and distinctions from oral history as a methodology in management and organizational research, this chapter engages in a discussion across these different, yet related approaches to qualitative data collection. This chapter first defines Indigenous oral history in relation to the broader context of collective knowledge systems. Secondly, it explores oral history as a method for gathering data in leadership studies. The author provides concrete examples from her experiences conducting oral history as an Indigenous researcher. This chapter discusses key areas of complexity when conducting oral history and shares lessons learned about engaging across distinct Indigenous worldviews.