Towards shared understanding of co-creative and Indigenous-led research for ICARP IV

Activity Description:

This activity addresses the need to Indigenise Arctic research and decolonise research practices. Despite progress in co-creative and Indigenous-led projects, there is a risk that these efforts become superficial, failing to challenge exploitative structures. This initiative seeks to provide actionable recommendations to ICARP IV in five areas: Indigenous self-determination in research, ethical research methodologies, Indigenous-led research practices, equitable participation in funding and decision-making, and funding for co-creative research. These recommendations build on the Comprehensive Policy Brief to the EU Commission - Roadmap to Decolonial Arctic Research (Herrmann et al., 2023), which was co-developed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers. This activity adapts these recommendations to a circumarctic context, using literature reviews, a workshop, and an international consultation period, and deepens and broadens discussions on these topics through a questionnaire distributed at conferences and through research networks to gather diverse perspectives on co-creative and Indigenous-led research. This activity will result in a policy brief (already submitted to ICARP IV) and supplementary materials, providing practical solutions and agreed definitions for ICARP IV. These will be based on notions of dialogue, relationship-building, and self-determination to ensure ethical and effective research practices that respect and uplift the rights and roles of Arctic Indigenous Peoples.

The activity is led by the Saami Council, Ikaarvik, and the Research Institute for Sustainability – Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, with support from the CO-CREATE Collaborative, an informal group of researchers and activists focused on ethical Arctic research.

Reported Contributions to the ICARP IV Process

Towards Arctic Research Upholding Indigenous Peoples’ Rights: Recommendations for ICARP IV, the International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (external link)

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