            
 |
 |
| "Combining Ancient (Indigenous) Knowledge Systems with Western Science to Improve US Scientific Research Practices: Understanding the Moral/Spiritual Dimensions of Matter" |
| by: Dianne Quigley, Syracuse University (2002) |
| Published on: 4/1/2004 |
US scientific research practices that involved community populations and natural resources (environmental health and environmental management) had been criticized for social processes that favored “expert-driven” studies and caused ethical harms to the researched community populations (exploitation, stigmatization, etc.). Communities struggling against environmental contamination and degradation effects of powerful corporate, military and government institutions were in a weakened position in proving environmental health effects, restoring degraded eco-systems and preserving the quality of community life. Academic/government researchers frequently excluded community participation in their community studies and produced findings that provided little or no assistance to community environmental problems. In the past decade, new community-based participatory research paradigms have evolved that include indigenous (Native) science methods combined with western science methods that offer benefits and equity to community members as well as scientific researchers. These methods highlight the importance of community traditional knowledge processes, the participation of community knowledge producers, the social, cultural and spiritual dimensions of environmental damages and health impacts. This paper describes the importance of these qualitative, subjective aspects of knowledge collection and how it builds an understanding of the “local flux” of energy patterns in community and environmental sustainability. Indigenous scientific methods stress the moral nature of matter and its need for relationality and interconnectedness with all life forces. Two case examples are included that discuss the benefits of this indigenous research paradigm, demonstrating research processes that are equitable and ethical, as well as research data that is far more robust than solely quantitative, positivistic research methods; emphasizing holistic dimensions of human and natural forces.
Keywords: indigenous/Native science, environmental research, community-based participatory research, holistic risk assessment, moral relationality and interconnectedness of matter
|
Download:
|
|
