What do you think?
Spring 2005 Indigenizing Education question: Should a tribe be able to control the research conducted on its reservation?
Read the comments submitted by:
Aaron Teverbaugh, Portland, Oregon
- Submitted by Aaron Teverbaugh, Portland, OR
Dear Editor-
As a cultural anthropologist, I must admit to a bit of bias. However, research is only valuable if it is controlled by the research question rather than by outside political elements.
That said, tribes should be able to (and must be able to, in keeping with principles of sovereignty) dictate guidelines for acceptable researcher behavior (just as institutions require adherence to “human subject” guidelines).
For too long researchers have treated Natives as subjects of research instead of partners in research. Researchers interested in working on the reservation should work with the tribes to develop time, place, and manner guidelines.
They should also be more concerned with research relevant to the tribes rather than espousing grand goals “for all of humanity.”
Aeron Teverbaugh
Portland, OR