A Note on Research With/in Indigenous Communities

A Note on Research With/in Indigenous Communities

Research with/in Indigenous communities, including sovereign tribal nations, requires permissions and considerations that are different from (and in addition to) those required when conducting human subjects research in other contexts. Indigenous tribes are sovereign nations. They frequently have their own protocols, policies, and procedures that researchers are obligated to follow, in addition to the guidelines and protocols established by Carleton’s IRB. You can learn more about the 11 federally recognized tribes in Minnesota here.

Tribal governments have the right to 

• approve or deny research proposed to take place on tribal land, with tribal communities, and/or using tribal resources,
• decide how research is reviewed and conducted and how/where data are shared, and
• review publications before they are publicly shared. 

To ensure that all research conducted by Carleton faculty, staff, and students with/in Indigenous communities, organizations, and tribes is conducted in a respectful and reciprocal manner, and complies with the requirements and expectations of the Indigenous tribes that are involved, researchers will need to submit proof of approval from a tribal IRB, a tribally-specific government office, a tribally-run non-profit organization, or a regional IRB with whom the community collaborates as part of their IRB application when proposing research with/in Indigenous communities. This approval may be in the form of an email or letter from the appropriate leadership (for example, tribal research manager, urban Native-serving health office or clinic, research director or another tribal administrator), depending on the scope and context of the research. Please contact the Carleton IRB chair if you have questions about the approval for your particular study. 

Research with/in Indigenous communities requires researchers to be mindful of both the history of non-Indigenous researchers doing harm to Indigenous communities and culture-specific protocols for building relationships and requesting and obtaining permissions. As Around Him et al. (2019) note, “Tribal IRBs and other entities that provide research oversight for AI/AN [American Indian/Alaska Natives] communities are essential, not only because of the negative history of research with tribes, but also because research is being used more and more by tribal communities as a tool for building capacity and improving the well-being of AI/AN peoples” (p. 85).  

To learn more about tribal sovereignty and research, please review this report from the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and this overview report for information about Native nations more broadly.

Bureau of Indian Affairs tribal leaders directory

University of Montana guidelines for collaborating with Indigenous people

Supporting ethical research involving American Indian/Alaska Native populations (OHRP/HHS virtual workshop)

Around Him, D., Aguilar, T. A., Frederick, A., Larsen, H., Seiber, M. & Angal, J. (2019). Tribal IRBs: A framework for understanding research oversight in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. American Indian and Alaska native mental health research (Online), 26(2), 71-95.

ETHICS: Ethics Training for Health in Indigenous Communities Study (Indigenous Wellness Resource Institute)

Sharing data (Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board). This site describes questions and considerations for Native nations in terms of sharing their data and provides a helpful glimpse  for researchers into that process.