Guidelines for ethical research

At every stage, research with and about Indigenous peoples must be founded on a process of meaningful engagement and reciprocity between the researcher and the Indigenous people. It is important that the Institute’s Guidelines for Ethical Research in Australian Indigenous Studies (GERAIS) (pdf 431 kb) embody the best standards of ethical research and human rights. The AIATSIS Research Ethics Committee (REC) is concerned with reviewing the ethical aspects of research projects, including ethical suitability and oversight as appropriate during the course of a project.

The Guidelines include a statement of the principles of ethical research in Indigenous studies, followed by an explanation of each principle, accompanied by some practical applications. These practical points are not intended to be directive but are recommendations and suggestions to achieve the best standards of ethical research.

The 11 main points are summarised here:

Consultation, negotiation and mutual understanding

1. Consultation, negotiation and free and informed consent are the
foundations for research with or about Indigenous peoples

2. The responsibility for consultation and negotiation is ongoing

3. Consultation and negotiation should achieve mutual understanding about the proposed research.

Respect, recognition and involvement

4. Indigenous knowledge systems and processes must be respected.

5. There must be recognition of the diversity and uniqueness of peoples as well as of individuals.

6. The intellectual and cultural property rights of Indigenous peoples must be respected and preserved.

7. Indigenous researchers, individuals and communities should be involved in research as collaborators.

Benefits, outcomes and agreement

8. The use of, and access to, research results should be agreed.

9. A researched community should benefit from, and not be disadvantaged by, the research project.

10. The negotiation of outcomes should include results specific to the needs of the researched community.

11. Negotiation should result in a formal agreement for the conduct of a research project, based on good faith and free and informed consent.