Family+Stories=Research

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-355
Author(s):  
Francis Bobongie

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to draw on the author’s research involving girls who leave their Torres Strait Island communities for boarding colleges in regional Queensland, Australia, and the academic, social and cultural implications that impede the transition process between community and school. While this paper discusses some of the research outcomes, its main focus is the unique indigenous research paradigm “Family+Stories=Research”, devised for and utilised within this project. This paradigm centres on the Australian indigenous kinship system and was implemented in two specific phases of the research process. These were: the preliminary research process leading up to the implementation of the research project; and the data collection phase. In turn, both phases enable the cultural significance of the kinship system to be better understood through the results. Because observations and storytelling or “yarning” were primarily used through both phases, these results also endorse the experience of the participants, and the author – both professionally and personally – without requiring further analysis. Design/methodology/approach The indigenous research paradigm and methodology unique to this research project implements the kinship system, allowing the researcher to access the appropriate resources and people for the project. Prior to the data collection phase, contact with significant community members in both boarding colleges and the Torres Strait Region was made. The methodology implemented for the research project was ethnographic and used observations, individual interviews and focus groups. The views and experiences of 26 past and present students, and 15 staff, both indigenous and non-indigenous, across three different boarding colleges were recorded. Findings Through both phases of the research project, the kinship system played a significant role in the ethnographic research process and data collection phase, which focussed on two key areas encompassed within the kinship system: “business” and the “care of children”. Stories from the researcher and the participants confirm the significant role that the kinship system can play within the indigenous research paradigm: Family+Stories=Research. Originality/value The paper introduces an indigenous research paradigm and methodology designed around two factors: family and stories. This paper brings to light the impact of the kinship system used within communities of the Torres Strait Islands and explains how this system advantaged the research process and the data collection phase by enabling the researcher to freely access stories specific to the research project.

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 418-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Pidgeon

There has been a paradigm shift amongst Indigenous peoples and researchers about how research with Indigenous peoples is conceived, implemented, and articulated. The result has been referred to as the Indigenous research paradigm (Wilson, 2003) and has taken the shape of Indigenous research methodologies and processes. The purpose of this article is to discuss the tenets of the Indigenous research paradigm in relation to its practical application within two research projects conducted in higher education settings in British Columbia, Canada. In sharing how these principles are lived during the research process, it discusses how each project embodied Indigenous research processes by being respectful, relevant, responsible, and reciprocal.


Author(s):  
Scott Taylor ◽  
Christopher Land

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the part of the organizational research process, access negotiation, through reflexive analysis of the participation in a recent data collection process. The paper aims is to question two emergent norms in this area: first, that organizational anonymity be granted in exchange for organizational access; and second, that access negotiation be seen as a bounded activity at the start of data collection. Design/methodology/approach – Through the reflexive account and with reference to published accounts of practice in other research projects, the authors explore the reasons why researchers offer organizational anonymity, and note the unintended consequences of this practice. The authors locate the discussion in relation to increased expectations on social researchers to contribute to public debate about managing and organizing. Findings – The author suggests that the negotiation of access without promising anonymity may generate more situated accounts of organization, and greater participation in political or ethical debates surrounding work, organization, and management. By facilitating a clearer line of impact stemming from qualitative research, this would also aid researchers in demonstrating the value of their work in informing public debate. Social implications – The authors conclude by reiterating the potential for organizational researchers to achieve greater social and ethical impact, especially if the authors frame access negotiation as a continuous process rather simply as than a moment at the start of a project. Originality/value – The authors argue that the paper raises a key, but neglected, issue in conducting empirical organizational research, that has political and ethical implications as well as a methodological significance. Through the analysis, the authors encourage themselves and the research community to be clearer about the potential value of scholarship in debates happening outside the academy, and to see access negotiation as more complex than simply a transaction in which organizational anonymity is promised in return for data.


2007 ◽  
Vol 36 (S1) ◽  
pp. 23-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deanne Minniecon ◽  
Naomi Franks ◽  
Maree Heffernan

AbstractUtilising Nakata’s (2007) description of the “cultural interface”, two Indigenous researchers and one non-Indigenous researcher examine their development of Indigenous research in and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities conducted from within an institution of higher education. The authors reflect on their experiences in developing an Indigenous research project and use Indigenous standpoint theory as a device to explore these experiences. The framing of priorities and research questions, ethics processes, the treatment of project information or data, the managing of competing accountabilities, and the role of non-Indigenous researchers in Indigenous research are all explored in these reflections.


Author(s):  
Parimal Roy ◽  
jahid siraz chowdhury ◽  
Haris Abd Wahab ◽  
Mohd Rashid Bin Saad ◽  
Suma Parahakaran

This chapter aims to discuss the correlation between Indigeneity and Christianity in the context of Bangladesh's Santal community during this pandemic C-19. Methodologically, this study informs the Indigenous research paradigm. As instruments, this study adopted interviews, observational fieldwork, and sharing circle for primary data collection. Authors scrutinized census reports and other governmental and NGO reports for secondary information. Findings show that the Christian commonwealth faith has been very predominant during this pandemic among the Santals. Collaboration among the churches, NGOs, and government is recommended for the new normal and further crisis management.


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jemma Simeon

Purpose – The paper is based on a doctoral action research project in which three ESL teachers and the author in one secondary school in the Seychelles focused on strategy instruction in the process approach to writing instruction with the aim of helping students become effective writers. The project enabled the author to establish relationships with the participating teachers as educator, facilitator and collaborator. To ensure the trustworthiness of the research, the author needed to clarify and explore the complex relationships to the setting and participants being studied. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, the author reflexively discusses the development nature of my research: language learning strategies (LLS) and draw upon my experience of working with three ESL Seychellois teachers in the reflection and planning stage of the Core Action Research project to critically reflect on the negotiation of my position in practice. Findings – Reflecting on the author’s positionality in relation to how the teacher participants constructed the identity has helped the author to be more reflexive and engage with the research process in a more meaningful way. Originality/value – The author’s experience suggests that one’s positionality is never fixed and stable, but rather may be characterized as changing and fluctuating according to the context, content, feelings and ideas expressed.


Author(s):  
Aedan Alderson

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address some of the implications for methodology and ethics that arise when researchers in Indigenous territories locate their research projects as taking place within Indigenous countries. Centering the argument that ethical research with Indigenous communities must be rooted in upholding the primacy of Indigenous sovereignty, numerous considerations to improve qualitative research practices in Indigenous countries are discussed. Design/methodology/approach The author starts by introducing his relationship to Indigenous research as a mixed-Indigenous researcher. Moving onto discussing preliminary research considerations for working in Indigenous territories, the author argues that qualitative researchers must become familiarized with the historical and geographical contexts of the Indigenous countries they plan on working in. Using Canadian history as an example, the author argues that settler-colonial nationalisms continue to attempt to erase and replace Indigenous countries both in historical and geographical narratives. Building on Indigenous literature, the author then outlines the necessity of being aware of nation-specific protocols in law, culture, and knowledge production. Findings Drawing on this discussion, the author proposes a framework for preliminary research that can be used by qualitative researchers looking to ensure their projects are grounded in the best practices for the specific Indigenous countries they want to work with. Originality/value The author concludes that researchers should not expect Indigenous knowledge keepers to contribute large amounts of labour towards debunking colonial mythology and proving the existence of Indigenous countries. By doing this work as part of the preliminary research process, researchers create space for better collaborations with Indigenous communities.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 224-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashleigh E Butler ◽  
Beverley Copnell ◽  
Helen Hall

Conducting qualitative research, especially in areas considered ‘sensitive’, presents many challenges. The processes involved in such research often expose both participants and the research team to a vast array of risks, which may cause damage to their personal, professional, social and cultural worlds. Historically, these risks have been considered independent of each other, with most studies exploring only the risks to participants or only risks to researchers. Additionally, most researchers only consider risks during data collection, frequently overlooking risks that might be present during other phases of the research project. We aim, therefore, to bring together this fractured literature to enable an integrated exploration of the current academic discourse relating to risks to participants with the literature exploring risks to researchers across all phases of the research process. This article draws on personal experiences to highlight ethical issues and risks encountered by both participants and researchers throughout all phases of a research project. Beginning in recruitment, we discuss the risk of secondary distress in participants arising from researcher contact and then explore the concept of informed consent during grief and bereavement research. We then focus on risks present during data collection, examining risks for participants, such as emotional distress, and potential safety risks for the research team. Finally, we consider the risks which arise in data analysis, including both confidentiality and the possibility of researcher burnout. Previous recommendations are summarised, with new management strategies suggested based on lessons learned along the way.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renato Koch Colomby ◽  
Andrea Poleto Oltramari ◽  
Maria Beatriz Rodrigues

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the phenomenon of work from eight different and subsidiary perspectives: physiological, cultural, spiritual, ideological, economic, political, legal and psychosocial. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on an exploratory quantitative survey with a probability sample composed of 407 cases. The bibliographic review resulted from several readings about the phenomenon of work and the impacts arising from these different perspectives. Findings The analysis of the data collected confirmed that the meaning and the sense of work are multifaceted. The authors also found that work is an important source of reflection and learning in people’s life. The research instrument promoted thinking and analysis of the participants’ careers. The research process resulted in mutual and interactive learning of investigators and investigation. Research limitations/implications The data collection came from a single source: a written questionnaire. This limits the scope of the data and raises interpretative discussion concerning the contents of the answers. For future reference, the authors suggest to complement it with different techniques of data collection, associating qualitative and quantitative approaches. Practical implications The main contributions of the paper are, on the one hand, the effort of synthetizing and recording eight different categories of analysis of the multiple and possible meanings of work, which were elaborated using the available literature, and on the other hand, to understand and analyze those categories using the perception of a numerically meaningful sample of the public, coming from different backgrounds. Social implications The purpose of this paper is to propose a guideline for future studies so that they could choose with increased awareness the initial perspectives at the basis of the analyses. This study could encourage continuity and provide greater incentives on this increasingly relevant subject. Originality/value After analyzing the data, it was acknowledged that work cannot be seen from a single perspective, but it must be viewed in its multifaceted character and sense. The published material on the meanings of work usually focuses on specific professions and careers, the authors argue that this fact limits the scope of perspectives and interpretations of the phenomenon.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-149
Author(s):  
Debi Futter-Puati ◽  
Teremoana Maua-Hodges

The use of a context-specific research model is critical when undertaking research that involved Pacific people. This article discusses the use of a Kuki Airani | Cook Islands research framework known as the Tivaevae Model in a PhD study. This model first introduced by Maua-Hodges borrows from the traditions of creating a traditional tivaevae | handmade quilt. The tivaevae represents Kuki Airani epistemological and ontological worldviews. Utilising the processes used to create a tivaevae as a metaphor and guiding process, the research was stitched together to develop a metaphorical tivaevae symbolising aronga mapu | youth views of sexuality. This article discusses the research process and how the tivaevae model was used through data collection, analysis, findings design and the educational “project.” In doing so, this article examines the research process that is contextually and culturally appropriate to better understand the nuances of what indigenous research methods can potentially offer, both conceptually and methodologically to critical researchers.


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawn Bessarab ◽  
Bridget Ng'andu

This article demonstrates the credibility and rigor of yarning, an Indigenous cultural form of conversation, through its use as a data gathering tool with two different Indigenous groups, one in Australia and the second in Botswana. Yarning was employed not only to collect information during the research interview but to establish a relationship with Indigenous participants prior to gathering their stories through storytelling, also known as narrative. In exploring the concept of yarning in research, this article discusses the different types of yarning that emerged during the research project, how these differences were identified and their applicability in the research process. The influence of gender during the interview is also included in the discussion.


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