Changing the role of non-Indigenous research partners in practice to support Inuit self-determination in research
After decades of being the subject of research, Inuit are now demanding to be in control of their own research. This paper focuses on how our research approach changed the status quo by establishing an Inuit management committee to be in charge of the research project and having Inuit youth conduct and facilitate the research.
The role of scientists from universities in southern Canada was changed from doing the research to providing training and mentorship for Inuit to do this research themselves. The paper highlights the tremendous benefits of this research approach, called the Sikumiut Model.
Read this open access paper on the Arctic Science website.
Sikumiut, which means “people of the ice”, is the name of the Inuit management committee for the community-based sea-ice monitoring service — SmartICE — in Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), Nunavut. Sikumiut guided every aspect of this research, which ensured that the project addressed Inuit priorities and was conducted from an Inuit perspective. Sikumiut also had ownership and control over how their Inuit knowledge was documented, communicated and respected for its own scientific merit.
This approach increased the research capacity of the Sikumiut management committee and supported Inuit youth in developing transferable employment skills. Our paper also provides guidance and reflections to help non-Indigenous researchers and Arctic science institutions create space for Inuit self-determination in research.
Read the paper — Changing the role of non-Indigenous research partners in practice to support Inuit self-determination in research by K.J. Wilson, T. Bell, A. Arreak, B. Koonoo, D. Angnatsiak, and G.J. Ljubicic.
