Decolonizing Methodologies - R. Provost

Positionally and Centering Research

Linda Tuhiwai Smith provides useful explanations for both researchers and non-researchers of both how Indigenous communities perceive research as well as how researchers can be active players in how to a shift in research. These explanations lend themselves both to thinking critically about one's self-awareness in research, such as their methodologies and who is being centered in the research. Furthermore, an emphasis on the language and settings to employ such language lays the ground-work for more "respectful, ethical, sympathetic and useful research" (9).

The concept that Linda Tuhiwai Smith focuses on in mostly the latter half of the book, which is research that focuses on and centers the needs, thoughts and methodologies of Indigenous folks. Further, she gives examples of how this can be framed for researchers who are specifically working with or as a researchers as an indigenous peoples. While Linda Thuiwai Smith's general framework of de-centering Westernized thinking, methodologies and overall research when working with non-Western populations is not a new concept, her articulations and applications reassert the importance of keeping this framework and the forefront in all research. This framework is a concept that is personally useful for me as I work with young people and read through education and development theory.

In my work in youth development, I am constantly reminded to center the young person's experiences and relationship to the work that we may be participating in together. Decolonizing Methodologies was very useful for the reflection of power, oppression and perceived social change. This is important for a variety of reasons but Linda Tuhiwai Smith's framework is a useful perspective for understanding how and why youth-led participatory action is a central component to conducting research with and for young people. The concepts of her book and understanding the historiographies of research methodologies is applied very readily to any research because as she explains, it can become disrespectful, negligent or unethical, quickly, with current Western practices.

On the whole the concept of positionality and de-centering Westernized thought and practices, and centering the peoples involved in the research is most salient in this book and in my own work. It is with that, that I throughly enjoyed the critique of current practices in research and the academy.


Questions:

Currently, what practices do researcher's employ to "get the story right". Is it possible for research to exist outside of these systems of power? If not, is it creating the change that the academy (and other stakeholders) believe it is?