Deconstructing Community-Based Research for Sustainable Development: The Role of Indigenous Knowledge Holders

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Contributions from every segment of the global community, including Indigenous peoples are essential to achieving the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals. Yet, research projects in Indigenous communities have largely been developed within a dominant Western research paradigm that values the researchers as knowledge holders and the community members as passive subjects. Whilst community-based research (CBR) is a contested space, we argued from a conceptual premise of reviewed literature that it needs to be reclaimed by and for Indigenous people to achieve the sustainable development of their communities. This is necessary to avoid epistemic hegemony or what Paulo Freire termed ‘cultural invasion’ and seek intentional and creative ways to engage target beneficiaries of sustainable development drives. The ultimate goal is to ensure that research does not continue to marginalise some Indigenous people, by assigning them a central role as co-creators, from the inception to the implementation of research activities and outcomes. The chapter concludes by attempting recommendations for CBR in Indigenous settings, with sustainable development as the resultant outcome.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIndigenous Methodologies, Research and Practices for Sustainable Development
EditorsMarcellus F. Mbah, Walter Leal Filho, Sandra Ajaps
Place of PublicationCham
PublisherSpringer Nature
Chapter4
Pages65-76
Number of pages12
ISBN (Electronic)9783031123269
ISBN (Print)9783031123252, 9783031123283
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 Oct 2022

Publication series

NameWorld Sustainability Series
ISSN (Print)2199-7373
ISSN (Electronic)2199-7381

Keywords

  • Community-based research
  • Sustainable development
  • Indigenous knowledge
  • Participatory research
  • Community engagement

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