Moving beyond ontological (worldview) supremacy: Indigenous insights and a recovery guide for settler-colonial scientists.

Abstract

Greater engagement and representation of Indigenous voices, knowledges and worldviews in the biological sciences is growing globally through efforts to bring more Indigenous academics into scientific research and teaching institutions. Although the intentions of such efforts may be admirable, these spaces often become sites of great personal tension for the Indigenous scholars who must 'bridge' or 'facilitate' a dialogue between Indigenous and settler-colonial (predominantly Western) knowledge traditions and worldviews. We are a small collective of early career Indigenous scholars from Australia, the United States and Aotearoa New Zealand, and we have gained insights into this situation through the unique experiential learning afforded by navigating such tensions. Here, we discuss tensions that bear remarkable similarities across geographies, cultures and settler-colonial contexts. In doing so, we aim to support other Indigenous scientists and scholars navigating settler-colonial and Western research institutions, while offering guidance, suggestions and reflections for the scientific community to allow the development of more nuanced strategies to support Indigenous academics than simply increasing Indigenous representation. We imagine transformed, innovative research and teaching agendas where Indigenous knowledges can thrive, and Indigenous scientists can apply themselves with mutual and balanced respect and reciprocity.