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Indigenous Research Ethics

Resources to support working with Indigenous topics, people and communities in an ethical way.

Indigenous Research Ethics Guideline Resources

Mimi Gellman: Indigenous Research Ethics: A Decolonial Approach

Mimi Gellman: Indigenous Research Ethics: A Decolonial Approach

In this presentation, Dr. Mimi Gellman shares her research ethics journey from her masters degree, to PhD, and then as faculty member on the Research Ethics Board at Emily Carr University. She questions whether TCPS2 Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples of Canada, adequately addresses the rights and research paradigms outlined in UNDRIP article 31: "Indigenous peoples have the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions..." (UNDRIP p 22).

This presentation is a part of a collaborative series between Emily Carr University of Art and Design (ECU) and OCAD University (OCAD U). The series explores themes around responsible conduct in art and design research. The Conducting Creative Research events were made possible with a SRCR Education and Training Support (SETS) Grant from the Secretariat on Responsible Conduct of Research through the Panel on Research Ethics (PRE) and the Panel on Responsible Conduct (PRCR) of Research on behalf of the three federal research granting agencies: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Julie Bull: Refuse, Relate, Return: Decolonial practices in process

Refuse, Relate, Return: Decolonial practices in process: Research Ethics are not separate from how-you-live-your-life ethics 

Julie Bull presents an approach to Indigenous research ethics learned from her land-based experiences combined with academic research in the field of research ethics. Bull advocates for a respectful and relational approach. This presentation was recorded as part of "Conducting Creative Research," a 2021 collaborative series between Emily Carr University of Art and Design (ECU) and OCAD University (OCAD U). The series explores themes around responsible conduct in art and design research.

Acknowledgement of Bias in Library + Archives Descriptive Language

The Library + Archives at Emily Carr University of Art + Design aims to create records – including archival descriptions, finding aids, library catalogue records and other metadata – that are inclusive, respectful and do not cause harm to those who interact with our collections. This includes those who create, use, and are represented in the collections we care for. We acknowledge that our existing descriptions and records may contain language that is racist, colonial, homophobic, ableist, or that uses other offensive terms that may cause harm. This language may reflect original titles or terms applied by the creators/authors. It may also have been created by previous stewards or ECU staff since acquisition.

Certain parts of the ECU collection contain historical language and content, for example, language used to refer to racial and cultural groups. This language reflects the time period in which these materials were created and provide insight into the view of their creator(s). These items retain their original descriptions to ensure that attitudes and viewpoints are not erased from the historical record. When possible, ECU provides additional descriptive information to provide context and background about these records. Additionally, the ECU Library + Archives questions the hierarchical and othering language promoted through subject terms and is working to update and implement terminology that promotes inclusive and accurate access to materials.

The ECU Library + Archives team is dedicated to minimizing harm through continual reflection and reparations in our language and systems. Reparative archival description and cataloguing is iterative work, and descriptive language preferences and needs will change over time. New and ongoing work in this area is indicated in our archival finding aids through the use of square brackets indicating the archivists/staff voice and through descriptive notes in the library catalogue and archives database.

We welcome feedback from our patrons regarding archival description and library catalogue records by email at library@ecuad.ca, in person or by phone at 604-844-3840. Feel free to leave us an anonymous voicemail.

* ECU Library + Archives is grateful to the following organizations who have crafted meaningful bias statements. We echo their thinking and work, and have borrowed language and built upon their words and efforts.

Yale University
Duke University
Library + Archives Canada
Stanford University Libraries

(May 2022)

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