Take a moment to recognise the lenses shaping the way you see things
Do you consider yourself indigenous to the community?
Do research perceive you as 'one of them'?

Being considered as an insider to the the community exposes a researcher to challenges and opportunities, the challenges might be presented as naivety to the study location, risk of bias, inability to present new perspectives, narrow minded view of issues, and unwillingness of participants to reveal sensitive information, on the other hand, being an outsider can expose the researcher to suspicion, isolation and rejection, participants' relactunce to engage, and a potential disorentation of the researcher due to culture shock.

What you will achieve with this tool?

Transform from an external observer into a responsible and trusted collaborator.

Get inspired by: Insider vs. Outsider

  • Insider:

- Back up the known assumptions with thorough background research on the community under study.

- Engage with other researchers, if possible, outsider researchers, to avoid a narrow-minded view of issues and to allow room for new perspectives

  • Outsider:

- Emphasize ensuring anonymity and confidentiality to gain participants' trust. This can be done by issuing consent forms that explicitly detail the confidentiality of the research results.

- Establish a connection with insiders respected by the community, these can be community leaders or local authorities. 

- Adapt the locals' jargon to key phrases in the research, such as biodiversity, justice and transformation, as further detailed in tool 1.4

- Collaborate with local researchers who have already established trust in the community.

- Acknowledge local expertise, treating community members as co-producers of knowledge. This can be done by following the Akwé: Kon guidelines for the conduct of cultural, environmental and social impact assessment as briefly detailed below:

a. Notification and public consultation of the project.

b. Identification of indigenous, local communities and relevant stakeholders affected by the project.

c. Establish the effective mechanisms for indigenous and local community participation, including the vulnerable groups

d. Establish an agreed process for recording the views and concerns of the local communities involved in the research project.

e. Establish a process by which local and indigenous communities may have the option to accept or oppose development that may impact them

f. Identify and provide sufficient human, financial, technical and legal resources for effective indigenous and local community participation in all phases of the research process.

g. Identify actors responsible for liability, redress, insurance and compensation during the project phase


With whom and for whom are you transforming?

Community leaders

Which power dynamics might hinder local communities from caring for ecosystems?

Reflecting on how one enganges with and are perceived by the community under study enables awareness of the existing social boundaries, expectations and power imbalances. This awareness enables just engagements, built on respect, transparency. It also contributes to a safe space for knowledge exchange and dialogue.

References

Horlings, L.G., Nieto-Romero, M., Pisters, S., et al. (2020). Operationalising transformative sustainability science through place-based research: the role of researchers. Sustainability Science, 15, 467–484. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-019-00757-x

Kitagawa, K. (2023). Researcher positionality in participatory action research for climate justice in Indigenous communities. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231205178

Soedirgo, J., & Glas, A. (2020). Toward active reflexivity: Positionality and practice in the production of knowledge. PS: Political Science & Politics, 53(3), 527–531. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049096519002233

Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. (2004). Akwé: Kon Voluntary Guidelines for the Conduct of Cultural, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment regarding Developments Proposed to Take Place on, or which are Likely to Impact on, Sacred Sites and on Lands and Waters Traditionally Occupied or Used by Indigenous and Local Communities. Montreal, 25p. (CBD Guidelines Series)