Indigenous Research: Ethics, Intellectual Property and the Role/Importance of Indigenous Researchers

Three areas related to Indigenous research produce dialogue and debate related to the conduct of research. These are ethical considerations and guidelines, intellectual property and issues for Indigenous researchers, including the emic/etic debate. Underlying the need for raising awareness of these issues are historical practices in research about Australian Indigenous peoples. Some writers (e.g. Rigney 1997, Nakata 2004b) contend that Australian Indigenous peoples are amongst the most researched groups in the world. A number of problematic assumptions about Indigenous research are identified by Hart and Whatman (1998). Amongst these is the fact that researchers have historically assumed an unquestioned right to engage in research about Indigenous peoples. An understandable wariness has developed amongst Indigenous peoples about the research process and its results.