Abstract
Knowledge co-production enabled via decolonised research approaches can support indigenous leaders to respond to the challenges and opportunities that result from their natural and cultural resource management obligations and strategies. For knowledge co-production to be realised, such research interactions must provide space for Indigenous peoples to position themselves as research leaders, driving agendas and co-designing research approaches, activities, and outputs. This paper examines the role that positionality played in supporting an Indigenous-led research partnership, or knowledge-action system, that developed between indigenous, industry, and research project partners seeking to support development of the Indigenous-led bush products sector in northern Australia. Our chosen conceptualisation of positionality informs sustainability science as a way for scientists, practitioners, and research partners to consider the power that each project member brings to a project, and to make explicit the unique positioning of project members in how they influence project processes and the development of usable knowledge. We locate the research in northern Australia and then articulate how selected research methodologies supported the partnership that resulted in knowledge co-production. We then extend the literature on decolonising methodologies and positionality by illuminating how the positionality of each research partner, and the partnership itself, influenced the research and knowledge co-production processes. In culmination, we reveal how an interrogation of post-project benefits and legacies (e.g., usable knowledge) can enable a fuller understanding of the lasting success of the project and partnership, illustrated with examples of benefits derived by project partners since the project ended.
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Notes
The Grant success rate—for projects to commence in 2021—was 37.5%. This project was one of the nine projects funded from a total pool of 24 applicants (see ARC 2020).
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Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA), funded the project with CSIRO and James Cook University as part of the 1-year project AT.2.1718054 ‘Building the Traditional Owner-led Bush Products Sector’. For further information about this wider project see https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/LWF/Areas/Pathways/Sustainable-Indigenous/Indigenous-bush-products. We also acknowledge the critical in-kind support provided to the project from CSIRO, James Cook University, the Kimberley Land Council, the Tropical Indigenous Ethnobotany Centre, Girringun Aboriginal Corporation, IN-Group Investments, and Australian Native Foods and Botanicals. We thank the Phoebe Martin (Kimberley Land Council) and Russell Glover (Australian Native Foods and Botanicals) for their involvement and critical input to the project. We thank Dr. Simon Fielke and Dr. Liana Williams (CSIRO) and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments that much improved the paper. This project was Granted Ethics Approval via the CSIRO Human Ethics process (CSIRO Ethics Application # 099/18).
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Appendices
Appendix 1
Interview questions used to capture project team members reflections on the research project and partnership, focussed around how the positionality of each team member.
Analytical theme | Focus | Question(s) |
|---|---|---|
Positionality | Personal networks, interests, aspirations | What were the different hats that you wore to participate in the project? |
Research partnership and process | Research partnerships Project governance, decision-making, and power sharing arrangements | How did those hats influence the role you took in decision-making? |
What are your reflections on the project partnership (what worked, what could we have done better)? | ||
Did you ever feel conflicted in how you could make comments or contribute to the project? | ||
Involvement in knowledge co-creation and representation | Project concept, design and conduct, report writing | How did those hats influence: |
Why you chose to be involved in the development of the project? | ||
How you chose to be involved in the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the project (e.g. selecting literature for the review, workshop design and conduct, development of workshop invitee list)? | ||
How you chose to be involved in report writing and this paper? | ||
Post project impacts/benefits | Wider community benefits | What did you enjoy most about/get out of the project? |
What have you done with the outcomes of the project (benefits to your community)? |
Appendix 2
Reflections from team members on their positionality, research participation, and benefits derived from the project
Team member positionality | Research partnership and process | Involvement in knowledge co-creation and representation | Post project impacts/benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
Phil Rist | |||
Hats: Nwagi Traditional Owner (TO) Representative of Girringun Aboriginal Corporation Knowledge seeker Interests: Provide opportunity for Girringun TO groups to benefit from involvement in project Cultural obligations: To pass new knowledge to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait people | Partnership Face to face communication is essential to develop personal relationships for project success Governance/decision-making Chose to join steering committee as a ‘knowledge seeker’ who has a cultural obligation to share knowledge and opportunities with all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people | Knowledge co-creation Design: focused on development of bush product-derived economic opportunities Workshop: Ensured set-up was the right kind of platform to facilitate appropriate conversations Workshop: co-presented a session, suggested a schoolteacher join workshop to share insights into her ‘Girringun bush to plate’ program, to inspire others Knowledge representation Responses and feedback for this paper | Community benefits Involvement of Elders – an avenue to speak about bush tucker issues Improved self-esteem and self- worth of Elders as researchers seek their advice Developed a follow-on project (Maclean et al. 2020) Ability to capitalise on opportunities as they arose – investigating collaborative enterprise development options with local companies |
Dwayne Rowland | |||
Hats: Indigenous entrepreneur Business owner Interests: To understand the ‘who, where, how and why’ of supply and value chains for Indigenous bush products To share business acumen with Indigenous Australians Create life changing opportunities for Indigenous people from their bush products knowledge | Partnership Limited funding reduced social impact that could result from the partnership and outcomes Governance/decision-making Participated in multiple roles Felt incredibly valued by CSIRO team | Knowledge co-creation Design: brought a strategic view Workshop: designed, co-presented/ facilitated a session on international potential for Indigenous bush product supply chain with China-based Australian colleague Knowledge representation Provided feedback to report Responses and feedback for this paper | Personal benefits Lifelong connections with like-minded people Awareness of research and enterprise development in this space |
Gerry Turpin | |||
Hats: Mbabaram clan group Leader, Tropical Indigenous Ethnobany Centre (TIEC) Ethnobotanist Interests: Opportunities for TO groups Mbabaram bush products enterprise | Partnership Worked within funding constraints, involved a variety of participants and researchers Governance/decision-making Chose to join the Steering Committee to ensure research was done the right way (ethics, intellectual property) | Knowledge co-creation Design: Indigenous plant knowledge is my core business (Ethnobotanist, TIEC) Design: wanted to enable/create on-ground opportunities for TOs including a pilot project Workshop: suggested a session on protection for Indigenous cultural and intellectual property Workshop: designed, presented and facilitated sessions Knowledge representation Selected literature for the review Provided responses and feedback for this paper | Personal benefits Meeting TOs and developing business networks Learning about different bush products and enterprises Business development knowledge (e.g. marketing) Community benefits Used research reports to provide evidence to develop funding applications for bush tucker projects with other communities (e.g. Chapman et al. 2020) Critique In future would like to see less talk and more action for TO groups (e.g. pilot projects, training, business mentorship, network introductions) |
Kirsten Maclean | |||
Hats: Australian woman CSIRO research (Human Geographer) researcher and representative Interests: Social and environmental justice Skills to make a different for Indigenous Australians (research, methods, strategy) Use CSIRO structures to develop impactful research Networks CSIRO networks (research, business development, research, ethics) Indigenous networks (e.g. Girringun others) | Partnership (Anonymised for review) researchers worked well to support Indigenous leadership Indigenous partners, industry representatives brought extensive skills, knowledge, networks and expertise to the project Governance/decision-making Chose a co-leadership approach to ensure ethical and inclusive project governance and decision-making Brokered interactions between co-funding body and the project team to ensure Indigenous partners’ wishes were respected | Knowledge co-creation Design: ensured Indigenous partners influenced aim and concept Design and conduct: Use of participatory action research approaches Keen listener and observer Knowledge representation Lead role to develop project outcomes within time frames and budget (reports, this paper) Sometimes challenging to get partners to provide input/feedback Data analysis and writing skills used to support Indigenous partners to engage with writing process Building trust is central to knowledge representation | Personal benefits Meeting new people and extending networks with Indigenous leaders, within (Anonymised for review) Learning about bush products sector from Indigenous leaders Professional development experience (project co-leadership) Community benefits Exposure for this sector via speaking/workshop opportunities in Australia, NZ, Thailand Value-add project: supported Girringun with their aspirations to develop a bush product enterprise |
Emma Woodward | |||
Hats CSIRO representative (code of conduct) Researcher who uses participatory approaches to enable ethical research Mid-career white female researcher Interests Research to: Enable values, interests, perspectives, knowledges of marginalised groups into decision-making processes Build opportunities for Indigenous bush product enterprises | Partnership Personal/ moral conflict as limited funding meant Indigenous project partners/Steering Committee were not paid Governance/decision-making Supported Steering Committee Brokered interactions between co-funding body and the project team to ensure Indigenous partners’ wishes were respected | Knowledge co-creation Design: Prioritised a process that promoted and valued Indigenous partners interests and goals Workshop: Supported an Indigenous-led workshop design, and took steps to ensure the workshop enabled a safe space for multiple voices and perspectives to be heard Knowledge representation (report writing) Ensured all perspectives were captured from the workshop. Co-led the writing of a workshop report with the target audience the workshop participants (Indigenous entrepreneurs and supporters) (not the funding agency) | Personal benefits New partners, hearing their ideas Being invigorated by contact with Indigenous groups who are building enterprises Community benefits Supported and engaged in multiple further conversations/meetings to build and diversity networks that might support both new research and enterprise opportunities in support of community interests |
Diane Jarvis | |||
Hats CSIRO and James Cook University University representative White English female Research Economist Interests Improve cross-cultural knowledge and skills Use skills to improve life/well-being of Australians Facilitate Indigenous-led (rather than researcher-led) project | Partnership Researcher team worked well with Indigenous Steering Committee/partners Governance/decision-making Contributed to project co-leadership Led literature review process | Knowledge co-creation Conduct: instrumental to literature review Workshop: design and note-taking/recorded discussions used for later analysis Knowledge representation Contributed analysis and writing skills, seeking to ensure the project reports (lit review and workshop report) appropriately reflected and recognised the input of the Indigenous partners and participants through this learning journey | Personal benefits Meeting new people Personal knowledge and skills about Indigenous communities Community benefits New skills and knowledge have been used on a different project rural/remote Indigenous groups in Northern Australia |
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Maclean, K., Woodward, E., Jarvis, D. et al. Decolonising knowledge co-production: examining the role of positionality and partnerships to support Indigenous-led bush product enterprises in northern Australia. Sustain Sci 17, 333–350 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-00973-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-00973-4