The Investigation of Social Sciences Research Trends from 2004 to 2019
Many Inuit feel they are not being involved in research or seeing benefits from research outcomes.
The Nunavut Research Institute (NRI) partnered with researchers at McMaster and Carleton Universities to analyze social sciences research applications from their research licensing database over a period of 16 years (2004–2019).
Read this open access paper on the FACETS website.
The project objectives were to: 1) identify research topics investigated in social sciences and Inuit knowledge projects; 2) determine the variation of research topics across Nunavut, as well as who is leading research, where research is happening, what methods are being used, and how research is being reported on over time; 3) develop new metrics to support to improve how research is tracked in Nunavut; and, 4) contribute to the development of a Nunavut research portal to make NRI research applications and reports publicly accessible.
Through this analysis we learned that social sciences research in Nunavut increased over time.
Research projects were mainly led by Canadian academics and focused on topics related to Inuit culture and society. Social sciences research was most concentrated in Iqaluit, Pond Inlet, and Pangnirtung. Research intensity was also linked with the availability of research-related capacity and infrastructure in a community.
The results from this study can be used to inform decisions about research policy, challenges, and opportunities across Nunavut communities.
This research is an important starting point in making research trends more accessible to Nunavummiut (people of Nunavut), and to support research-related decisions in the Territory. This work is also an initial step contributing to Nunavut-specific approaches to achieving Inuit self-determination in research.
Read the paper — What is happening where? An evaluation of social sciences research trends in Nunavut (2004–2019) by Alexis Polidoro, Natalie Carter, Gita Ljubicic, Alison Perrin, and Jamal Shirley.
