November 18 – the colonial nature of current systems of research and evaluation

By Methuseli Dube

Thank you to our guest speaker this week, Kim Van Der Woerd, Founder of Reciprocal Consulting, an award-winning and leading Indigenous-run consulting firm specializing in program evaluation and research. Kim joined us for a dialogue on the colonial nature of current systems of research and evaluation, exploring how to transform these systems. See below for links and articles from the Zoom call. Thank you again for everyone who attended.

Reflections and #Resources

1. An article describing the mass removal of Aboriginal children from their families into the child welfare system, in most cases without the consent of their families or bands. Please read for more information on the 60’s scoop: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sixties-scoop
2. To the colonized, the term "research" is conflated with colonialism; academic research steeped in imperialism remains a painful reality. This essential volume explores intersections of imperialism and research – specifically, the ways in which imperialism is embedded in disciplines of knowledge and tradition as "regimes of truth." https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/225063.Decolonizing_Methodologies
3. A link to the BC Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research, which is one of nine Indigenous-led networks across Canada that support research leadership among Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) communities, collectives and organizations (ICCOs).The purpose of the Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research Program is to establish a national network of centers focused on capacity development, research and knowledge translation (KT). https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/bcneihr/
4. Some of the history of the Akimel O’odham renamed the "Pima" people by explorers. https://www.legendsofamerica.com/pima-tribe/
5. "I found Shawn Wilson’s Research is Ceremony very powerful at illustrating the differences in ontology and epistemology, and for tracing that back to the human things we do during research." ~ SFUCOVNET participant https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5396504-research-is-ceremony
6. We all count highlights issues around current data collection methods, attempting to pull back the curtain so the world can see that data (and data scientists) are not infallible. This can hopefully bring to light a larger discussion around biases in data sciences that everyone can participate in. https://weallcount.com/
7. Braiding sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants is a book written by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Drawing on her life as an Indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings offer us gifts and lessons. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17465709-braiding-sweetgrass