Navigating the Shifting Landscape of Engagement in Northern Research: Perspectives from Early Career Researchers

Abstract

First published advance online December 16, 2022

An examination of research in northern Canada and its ties to extractive, colonial practices has been highlighted in recent years, alongside heightened expectations for community- and Nation-engaged practises. Here, we explore the diverse ways that northern-focused early career researchers (ECRs), from a range of faculties, life experiences, and disciplines, engage with the communities and Indigenous Nations they work in and, more broadly, the knowledge they have gained from conducting research in the North. Scholars in the fields of education, anthropology, and renewable resources from the University of Alberta share their experiences to discuss 1) approaches to meaningfully and respectfully engaging with communities and Nations in the North; 2) knowledge translation and mutual capacity building; and 3) responsibilities and accountabilities for engaging with communities and Nations. We find resonance with the Five R’s of research—relevance, reciprocity, respect, responsibility, and relationship—that help ensure Western-derived knowledge benefits the communities and Nations that ECRs work alongside.