Research Impacting Indigenous Groups @riig2520 - Tumblr Blog

Introduction, Background and Context:

RIIG Policy is essentially a partnership between Indigenous groups and researchers, providing an ethical space where there is consent and engagement.

What were the broader socio-cultural conditions that served to help shape and inform the development of RIIG?

Historically Indigenous peoples have been left out of decisions involving their autonomy, policies like this allow spaces that are curated to avoid discrimination. The recognition of the need for ethical practices in research led to understanding the need of cultural awareness while working with Indigenous peoples. With the need for ethical practice, and cultural awareness RIIG is an important boundary to set in place when conducting research involving Indigenous groups.

What, if any, source of data were employed to rationalize, justify, or demonstrate the need for establishing RIIG?

When research is conducted on any group or population there are ethical ramifications involved, all research involving human beings should be reviewed by an ethics committee to ensure that the appropriate ethical standards are being upheld. Memorial created RIIG as a further initiative to protect Indigenous peoples from ethical issues involved and limit potential discrimination.

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Ensuring ethical standards and procedures for research with human beings. World Health Organization. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://www.who.int/activities/ensuring-ethical-standards-and-procedures-for-research-with-human-beings

What conditions led to the founding RIIG?

RIIG was put in place to ensure that researchers appropriately engage with Indigenous collectives and Indigenous research from the start of their research.

What were the broader socio-cultural conditions that served to help shape and inform the development of RIIG?

Given, L. M. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods. SAGE researchmethods. https://methods.sagepub.com/reference/sage-encyc-qualitative-research-methods/n211.xml.

#memorial university #twoeyedseeing #indigenousresearch

Additional Resources

Print_Indigenization_Framework.pdf (mun.ca)

Indigenization is Indigenous (mun.ca)

For researchers: Doing Indigenous research in a good way | Research | Memorial University of Newfoundland (mun.ca)

Office of Indigenous Affairs | Indigenous | Memorial University of Newfoundland (mun.ca)

IndigenousResearchAgreementFeb_28-20.pdf (mun.ca)

Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans – TCPS 2 (2018) – Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada (ethics.gc.ca)

Indigenous Group Contacts | Research | Memorial University of Newfoundland (mun.ca)

Home - The First Nations Information Governance Centre (fnigc.ca)

Indigenous Research (sshrc-crsh.gc.ca)

Indigenous Research Methods - Indigenous Research Guide - Subject Guides at University of Alberta Libraries (ualberta.ca)

Indigenization Reading Circle Notebook: “The Four R’s – Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, Responsibility” – The FAUW Blog

Origin and Approval

Purpose/Objective - Engagement and partnership with Indigenous individuals and groups while conducting Indigenous research, thus strengthening the integrity and impact of the research while providing cultural competency and respect.

Approval – Consultations for the RIIG policy were first conducted in 2018 and 2019. It was approved by the Senate on June 20, 2020, and by the Board of Regents on July 9, 2020.

Consultation processes - Before research is to be conducted and published, these three committees must be consulted

Agreement in Principle (AIP)/Concept Development Phase (CDP) - reviewal of research by representatives of an appointed Indigenous group in which the group must agree for the research to move forward [proof of agreement is required]

2. Committee on Ethical Research Impacting Indigenous Groups (CERIIG) - reviewal of research by an appointed group of Indigenous experts to ensure that the research is in line with the best practices for Indigenous research [this group replaces the CDP when it is unavailable, but it cannot represent Indigenous groups outside of the MUN community]

3. Peer Advisory Group on Indigenous Research Relationships (PAIRR) - an appointed advisory group that provides guidance and makes recommendations to MUN researchers that are participating in Indigenous research

Beneficiaries – Indigenous and settler researchers, particularly those within the MUN community.

Drafting process - According to Memorial University, the RIIG policy was drafted by three individuals that were recommended by the President's Advisory Committee on Indigenous Affairs.

Dr. Max Liboiron (Metis) - the Associate Vice-President of Indigenous Research in St. John's.

2. Kelly Anne Butler (Mi'kmaw) - the Student Affairs Officer of Aboriginal Affairs at the Grenfell campus.

3. Michele Wood (Inuit) - a community member from Labrador.

Fun Facts

RIIG is the most consulted policy in Memorial University history, with over 2000 people involved in 60+ meetings providing feedback on the policy's development and implementation.

RIIG has a sister policy at Memorial University! This policy is called Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, & Anti-Racism (EDI-AR).

The RIIG policy is the first of its kind throughout Canadian universities!

Memorial's Dr. Adjei once said, "the community needs to see themselves as true partners and we need to decolonize the whole nation of what community engagement means. Indigenous communities need to be part of the conversation from the beginning." [Green, J. (2022, October 13). True Partnerships. Gazette. Retrieved from https://gazette.mun.ca/research/true-partnerships/]

Who is responsible for catalyzing change in the policy?

What is most important in the constulation plan and policy review is the engagement of stakeholders. Internal and external stakeholders are those who made the policy, and those who are affected by the policy. This can include policymakers, researchers, students and employees at Memorial University, and more.

But being that this is a policy that directly involves Indigenous individuals and groups, they are a priority as stakeholders. If the policy fails in sustaining a relationship with researchers and Indigenous communities, the policy would be null. They have the biggest impact and influence on the policy, including any ammendments and changes made to it in the future.

Since consultations started, Dr. Adjei has been with external stakeholders such as members of the Nunatsiavut Government in Nain (a community in the north-east of Labrador), as well as leaders in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. They have also reached out to people working in Memorial University.

Green, J. (2022 October 13). Whose land is it anyway?. The Gazette. https://gazette.mun.ca/research/whose-land-is-it-anyway/.

#memorial university

Strengths and Weaknesses of the policy:

The strengths of the policy is that it benefits student researchers as it provides more accurate, integrable and credible research because you're involving more cultures and inputs into the research decision making process. It benefits the Indigenous peoples as well because it allows more open communication between the research committees and the indigenous peoples and although we are not even close to reconciliation this is a step forward.

We believe the policy itself is not a weakness but rather beneficial because it was created to collaborate with Indigenous communities in the process of reconciliation and it confers everyone's perspectives and cultural values.

Success of the policy:

The purpose of the policy is to include Indigenous voices and create substantial Indigenous research that is consulted with Indigenous peoples and the policy is successful in doing so. It is an important policy as it is an act of effort towards reconciliation rather than just talk.

What has been the process of implementing RIIG?

The President's Advisor Team (PAT) provided approval for the plan to review the RIIG policy with both internal and external stakeholders. This was led by the vice president of research, Dr. Neil Bose, and interim associate vice president of Indigenous research, Dr. Paul Banahene Adjei, and involved two phases.

Phase one - review of the current RIIG policy, to be readvised accordingly

Phase two - review of the final draft documents, to be done before being brought to the PAT and Board of Regents

Indigenous Education in Canada:

Education towards indigenous culture is still significantly neglected in the education system. This policy is a step in the right direction in improving the spread of Indigenous knowledge. Education is a basic right and provides many opportunities. Making changes towards Indigenizing spaces is essential for reconciliation.

Evolution of the RIIG Policy

Being that RIIG is a fairly new policy, it has remained the same since its effective date, which was September 1, 2020.

However, consultations are currently underway! A two phased consulation plan has been set in place that was approved on May 31st of this year. What occurs in this consultation process as they reach out to stakeholders will affect the future of this policy, and evolutionize it.

What occurs in these two phases:

Phase one: Dr. Paul Banahene Adjei, who is in charge of this consultation process, will allow internal and external stakeholders to review the policy. This phase allows for stakeholders to provide feedback and comments on the current policy. An assembled team, with Dr. Adjei leading it, will revise the policy based on such feedback.

Phase two: The revised policy will be given back to stakeholders for review, basically to approve or critique the changes made.

The review date is set to be on September 1, 2024.

Questions or comments about consultations? Email [email protected].

Green, J. (2022, June 9). Two-phased approach: Review, consultations for Research Impacting Indigenous Groups Policy. The Gazette. https://gazette.mun.ca/research/two-phased-approach.

#memorial university #newfoundland #indigenousresearch

"Since RIIG's implementation, it has become evident that there are areas of the policy and procedures that need revision. We are now starting that necessary review, revision, and consultation process." -Dr. Adjei

Green, J. (2022, June 9). Two-phased approach: Review, consultations for Research Impacting Indigenous Groups Policy. The Gazette. https://gazette.mun.ca/research/two-phased-approach.

#Youtube

Impacts & Implications: Was the overall impact of said policy positive, negative, or neutral?

From my understanding this policy has had only positive impacts on scholarly research by sharing Indigenous knowledge and promoting Indigenous sovereignty. It encourages relationship building and collaboration with Indigenous communities in order to conduct more inclusive and unified research

The "Indigenous research at Memorial FAQ" page for Indigenous groups, governments, students, and researchers regarding supports, grants, protocols, and ethics for the RIIG policy provides education and open conversations regarding Indigenous needs within research

I think the implementation of this policy was necessary and overwhelmingly positive, it’s a step forward for the Indigenization of spaces and reconciliation within scholarly research practice

Impacts & Implications: What were the intended and unintended consequences of your assigned policy, for the target population, other (unintended) groups, and the university community more generally?

The intended consequences of this policy was to create unity and collaboration with researchers and indigenous groups in order to create more concise and well-rounded results while also holding the university accountable through Indigenous scholarly relations with specific rules and protocols (with Memorial University students and Indigenous communities and groups)

The only unintended consequence that comes to mind would be the additional time added to the research process because of communication and involvement with Indigenous groups. As Dr. Liborion (Associate Vice President of Indigenous Research) mentions "It’s really hard to consult 2,000 people, especially in this province. It took two years and a full-time position to do it. That can’t become [the norm] if it means that certain Indigenous things will never pass.”

Samson, N. (2020, September 10). Memorial has a new record-setting Indigenous research policy. University Affairs. https://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/memorial-has-a-new-record-setting-indigenous-research-policy/

#consequences #targetpopulations #positives #negatives

Impacts & Implication: How and to what extent has this policy successfully served to effect change?

RIIG policy was first approved in July of 2020 and it’s the first of its kind in any Canadian university, showing Memorial’s committed efforts to Indigenous inclusion within research

For starters, in order to create this new policy, Memorial University reportedly sought out feedback from thousands of people, and drafted an Indigenous-led working group that represented three separate parts of the province. This has served to effect change by introducing new and improved collaborative and fair research

#holisticresearch #inclusión #intersectional

Impacts & Implications: What are the real, perceived, and/or potential impacts and broader implications of said policy on not only the intended target population but also for the wider university community as a whole?

Incorporating Indigenous knowledge, traditions, teachings, spirituality, and land values within research is crucial in the process of reconciliation and anti-colonialism.

Including collaboration and Indigenous representation creates more concise and inclusive results, as well as strengthens the integrity of research

Engagement and involvement with Indigenous communities ensures that cultural values are equally represented and supported

Research Impacting Indigenous Groups policy shows our university community that interconnected research with indigenous relations is not only important but necessary

#indigenousresearch #student researchers #indigenization

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