ethics-guideline indigenous-research research-ethics
“Who should use the AIATSIS Code? The AIATSIS Code of Ethics is intended for use by:
Any person conducting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research.
Any member of an ethical review body or other body reviewing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, including human research ethics committees (HRECs), grant assessment panels and data governance committees.
Sponsors or commissioners of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, which includes any person or public or private organisation that is providing financial or other support to the project.
Those involved in research governance and policy relating to research or management of collections, including the development of standards.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations engaged in or with research.17” (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), 2020, p. 6)“Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are actively involved in managing research that concerns them, including through the development of local protocols and template agreements, establishing research priorities, and participating in and leading projects. Nevertheless, there is a positive obligation on researchers to ensure communities with which they engage are aware of their rights and what they should expect of researchers. In addition to the materials on the AIATSIS website, some useful guides have been developed specifically for Indigenous communities and organisations engaging with research, including NHMRC’s Keeping Research on Track II 2018 and the Lowitja Institute’s EthicsHub.18 This Code applies to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research conducted in Australia. We recognise that institutions involved in this research vary in size, maturity, experience and organisational structure. Similarly, researchers range in experience and skills, including Indigenous researchers, researchers with long-term relationships with particular communities, and those who are new to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research. Accordingly, it is acknowledged that different policies and practices are capable of fulfilling the aim of this Code and attempts have been made to ensure that there are appropriate options for flexibility in its application.” (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), 2020, p. 7)The additional material guide... “provides advice for researchers in applying the principles in the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research (the AIATSIS Code of Ethics or this Code). It is also useful for ethics review bodies to identify practical ways in which the principles should be evident in project design. The best ethical research practice occurs in the partnership, design and planning stages of a project. However, ethical practice permeates every stage of the research process and should be revisited regularly as research proceeds. In addition, where a researcher or community encounters a project that is already underway, it is important to take stock of the ethical underpinnings of the project and adjust as required. In acknowledging this, this Guide to Applying the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research provides practical information on how you may apply the principles in four main stages of your research:
getting started
implementing your project
communicating research results
post-project. This Guide is designed to encompass a range of different project methodologies:
quantitative methods (surveys, big data, statistics)
qualitative methods (ethnographic, case studies, interview based)
mixed methods (participatory action, focus groups, workshops)
working with documents (historical, archival, discourse analysis). The Guide offers a range of best practices and ideas for any person engaging in ethical research. For more detailed information specific to particular types of research, for example large surveys, please refer to the supporting case studies on the AIATSIS Ethics webpage.2 We plan to expand our range of resources and tools.” (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), 2020, p. 3)