The Aboriginal Researchers Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays

RESEARCHING OURSELVES BACK TO LIFE Name Code + Course Name Professor Date Researching Ourselves Back to Life Foster et al. (2006) sought to make clear the way Aboriginal persons from Alice Springs Town Camps and Tangentyere Council have taken charge over the way research is undertaken in aboriginal communities. The researchers, who are Aboriginal researchers, set to demonstrate how they conduct research, how they ensure efficacy in the process and how they have employed the research outcomes in their endeavor to enhance the lives of persons living in the two regions. The two regions had a population of about 28,000 persons-about 20% Aboriginal. The paper by Foster et al. (2006) described the way the aboriginal persons from Tangentyere Council carried out an investigation of the outlooks of persons living in Town Camps to a test of liquor licensing restrictions in the region. In addition, the way the findings were put in practice and the way the venture contributed to the setting up of a permanent research center in the council. The researchers offered a model of undertaking investigation for other aboriginal communities that are managed by organizations. The model can also direct non-aboriginal researchers to cooperate with the aboriginal organizations to help the aboriginal people deal with substance abuse as well as other health issues. Allowing Aboriginal people to undertake their own research generates quality and reliable data since they know their communities and allows greater community participation and also informs non-aboriginal researchers on how to work with aboriginal community organizations while conducting research. To determine the efficacy of a 12-month liquor restriction by the Northern Territory Liquor Commission, the governmental “Department of Health and Community Services” had intended to undertake a telephone survey. Nonetheless, over 90% of the people did not have a telephone and hence they would not be involved in the survey. As a result, the Tangentyere opted to undertake its own research to ensure that the feelings of the residents about the grog trials were revealed. Given the tremendous disadvantage that indigenous persons' face, the dissemination of evidence-based approaches to support families, individuals and communities has the potential of making a significant impact of their health and well-being. Foster et al. (2006) argued that where there is no evidence, researchers have to build the ability of sites of practice to share promising practices, build the evidence base, and create and share new knowledge. Foster et al. were the preferred researchers for the research due to their good language skills, they knew and understood their culture, they knew to write and speak English and they were are also to communicate the results back to their people. They received training for a whole week on how to carry out a good research, the number of participants required to obtain reliable results and ways of ensuring that their work is respected by other researchers. The researchers explained the objective of the research in a language that the people understood. The questions from the telephone survey were used as a guide to assist the researcher to develop a survey form. The researchers observed research ethics by ensuring that the questions formulated did not offend or shame people, ensuring informed consent, observing confidentiality and making sure that the participants understood the questions. The questions were well worded, short, and simple and hence it was easy to collect data. The survey covered almost all 270 households in the area and included persons 18 years and over, men and women, different age group and both drinkers and non-drinkers in all camps. The residents were well informed and prepared before the survey to ensure good participation. The researchers were able to achieve more discussion as well as information from the participants as they felt comfortable with them; they were able to talk freely about issues and not feel ashamed or embarrassed. According to Foster et al. (2006), most people would not have provided good and reliable answers to non-aboriginal researchers. They were able to talk about numerous other things that made the Aboriginal persons feel comfortable and also helped them to comprehend the questions better, enabling them to feel proud to be part of the research. As a result, Foster et al. (2006) argued that undertaking research in this way-with Aboriginal persons at the center of the research and recognizing their expertise-can generate more valid results. Tangentyere researchers collected the research data and kept it in their premises, ensuring that they maintained confidentiality. University researchers helped in the coding of the data and entering it into Microsoft Excel. The data was then transferred to the SPSS program and reports generated for the Aboriginal researchers to scrutinize, analyze, interpret and discuss. It was meant to ensure qualification of the meaning of statistical results. The researchers then reported the results and information to the different stakeholders including the town residents, licensing commission and the council executive. The research findings indicated that most of the town residents were worried about abuse of alcohol and argued that the issue should be handled. They supported the trial restrictions and also put forth suggestions for addressing the issue. The study findings were communicated to the executive committee of Tangentyere Council to notify them and to allow them to make suggestions or comment. The Council allowed the researchers to generate two reports-one for the Licensing Commission and the other for the community in the local language. The researchers also re-visited the camps and held meetings to allow the residents to see that the researchers delivered the research promises. The residents got a chance for contributing more thoughts or information they had for assisting in the future. The researchers forwarded the findings to the commission in a report, and the Tangentyere Council made eleven suggestions to the Licensing Commission on strategies for reducing the harms resulting from grog in Alice Springs. The researchers then presented the report to the Licensing Commission; however, it failed to give them much notice and hence did not implement the recommendations. The Commission failed to strengthen liquor restrictions and weakened them further by allowing alcohol to be sold in containers of more than 2litres. The researchers thus achieved limited success with the Licensing Commission. Nonetheless, the research process has greatly benefited the Council as it was conducted by aboriginal people contributing to greater community participating and more valid results. The research by Foster et al. (2006) covered most important aspects of research that contribute to valid and reliable data, and this was an important strength. The other strength entailed establishing rapport with the research participants in order to make them comfortable so that they could generate rich and insightful data. Silverman (2006) highlighted the importance of seeing the world from the respondents’ point of view. This research recognized respondent rapport as a critical element in interviewing. Also, the researchers also observed research ethics while conducting the research, for instance, informed consent, confidentiality and ensuring the participants understood the questions. Hesse-biber (2010) argued that ethics plays a role throughout the entire research process, and all researches have to be keen in checking themselves at each stage of their research. Ethical theories encourage people to be morally accountable for their actions. In spite of these strengths, some aspects of this research might have been undertaken differently. First, the research greatly overemphasizes the importance of Aboriginal people conducting research in their own environment and secondly, that the results of the study are statistically representative and applicable to the aboriginal communities everywhere. Although the researchers involved the university researchers in the study, they noted that aboriginal people prefer their own people to undertake research. They also established a research hub which is supported by different partners. Much emphasis ought to have been placed on a type of ‘participatory’ research that transfers the means of control towards the aboriginal people (the persons being researched). Hutchings (2011) noted that in order to clarify the enquiry field, it should be independent of any existing knowledge. Piccini and Kershaw (2011) noted that the academic experience of the practitioners and the situation in which they undertake the researcher should be appropriate to the nature of a specific research project. The authors should have encouraged partnerships with researchers-both aboriginal and non-aboriginal in addressing important issues. Jamieson (2010) argued that for a society to be morally fit, it should promote a readiness to oppose against the common established view. Even non-aboriginal researchers have the capacity to yield quality and reliable data by following proper research methods and aspects. Some research undertaken by non-aboriginal researchers is usually problem-oriented and involves communities in undertaking the research so that it is relevant to their needs. Although non-aboriginal researcher may need time to understand and establish rapport with the aboriginal people, they can improve the quality of research through considerably involving them. Cochran et al. (2008) argued that non-indigenous researchers endeavoring to conduct research among indigenous people will require joint designation of research methodology that includes aboriginal means of knowledge that bring about effective and sustainable services that address health differences amongst the aboriginal persons without infringing their human rights. Empirical knowledge from non-aboriginal researchers grounded in the aboriginal `ways of knowing can greatly benefit the Aboriginal people. According to Kendall et al. (2011), shortage of evidence-based health interventions results from knowledge being organized around specialized disciplines that are anchored in Western knowledge. Knowledge of the way of life and culture of the aboriginal people is important, and this is achievable for both the aboriginal and non-aboriginal researchers. Webb & Donna (2012) highlighted the importance of couching research work in the language of the research community. Like the Aboriginal researchers did in the current research, non-aboriginal researchers can involve the Aboriginal community in every research process and also prepare well for the data collection process. Although the aboriginal people can conduct their own research as primarily argued by the researchers and carry it out more effectively, non-aboriginal also have the capacity to undertake a similar investigation on substance abuse and other health harms. According to Haggerty (2009), validating a researcher claim entails efforts to undermine or subvert the assertions of a competitor whilst prospectively preparing how to react to similar attack from ones adversaries. The knowledge from the research process can also be applied by non-aboriginal researchers in working with the Aboriginal people; nonetheless, some studies may require the researchers to follow a different process in working with the aboriginal community. Loader & Richard (2007) emphasizes democratization of everyday life; as can be witness in altered relations between aboriginal people and non-aboriginal researchers. Improving the capacity of the community to participate can be hard due to the dichotomy in the study between the community and research bodies (Couzos et al. 2005). Flicker and Catherine (2012) highlighted the significance of considering aboriginal research as a different type of research; the significance of building relationship and trust in the research process and the outstanding nature and complexity of negotiation the community. Foster et al. (2006) clearly bring out the same points. However, they lay emphasis on Aboriginal researchers taking part in research and not non-aboriginal researchers. Previous studies by non-aboriginal researchers depicted that there was no balance of power. The researchers had the upper hand and the community was not involved considerably. Foucault (1977) noted that knowledge and power directly imply one another. Gwyther & Possamai-Inesedy (2009) called for development and support of methodologies that give voice to the oppressed and democratic methods of obtaining, communicating and representing knowledge. Involving non-aboriginal researchers in aboriginal research and community involvement represent democratic research methodology. It is evident that within both the aboriginal and non-aboriginal health research groups, there are significant current discussion on best practices and principles for respectful study in working together with the aboriginal persons that takes into consideration their cultural values and rights ( Ball and Janyst, 2008; Bull (2010); Schinke et al (2010). In developing these principles, priority has been given to need for community to benefit from research, mutual respect, co-learning, empowerment, and community direction and partnership (Jacklin and Kinoshameg (2008); Quigley (2006); Glass and Kaufert (2007); and Cargo et al. (2008). Durkheim argued that modern individualism and various types of solidarity are not essentially opposite, however they can develop together and even reinforce each other (Benard, Jeffrey & Alexander, 2010). It is thus arguable that participatory research between aboriginal people and non-aboriginal researchers can yield reliable and valid results if the right principles and respect for the community is observed. This contradicts the study inclination by Foster et al. (2006) that research undertaken by Aboriginal researchers yields more valid outcome than that undertaken and managed by non-aboriginal researchers. Bibliography Ball Jessica and, Janyst Pauline. “Enacting research ethics in partnerships with Indigenous communities in Canada: Do it in a good way.” J Empir Res Hum Res 3, no.2 (2008): 33- 51. Bernard, Thomas J, Jeffrey B. Snipes, and Alexander L. Gerould. 'Chapter 6: Durkheim, Anomie, and Modernization.' In Vold’s Theoretical Criminology. 6th ed. New York, NY: OUP, 2010. Bull, Julie. “Research with Aboriginal Peoples: Authentic relationships as a precursor to ethical research.” J Empir Res Hum Res 5, no. 4 (2010):13-22. Cargo, Margaret, Delormier, Treena, Lavesque, Lucie, Horn-Miller, Kahente, McComber, Alex, and Macaulay Ann. “Can the democratic ideal of participatory research be achieved? An inside look at an academic-indigenous community partnership.” Health Educ Res 23, no. 5 (2008):904-14. Cochran, Patricia, Marshall, Catherine, Garcia-Downing, Carmen, Kendall, Elizabeth, Cook, Doris, McCubbin, Laurie and Gover, Reva. “Indigenous Ways of Knowing: Implications for Participatory Research and Community.” Am J Public Health 98, no.1 (2008): 22-27 Couzos, Sophie, Lea, Traven, Murray, Richard and Culbong, Margaret. “We are not just participant-we are in charge’: The NACCHO Ear Trial and the Process for Aboriginal Community-controlled Health Research.” Ethnicity and Health 10, no.2 (2005): 91-111 Flicker, Sarah, and Catherine, Worthington. "Public Health Research Involving Aboriginal Peoples: Research Ethics Board Stakeholders' Reflections on Ethics Principles and Research Processes." Canadian Journal of Public Health 103, no. 1 (2012): 19-22. Foucault, Michel. 1977. 'The body of the condemned.' In Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1977. Foster, Denise, Williams Raelene, Campbell, Donna, Davis, Vanessa and Pepperill, Lorraine. “Researching ourselves back to life’: new ways of conducting Aboriginal alcohol research.” Drug and Alcohol Review 25, (2012): 213-217. Glass, Kathleen and Kaufert, Joseph. “Research ethics review and Aboriginal community values: Can the two be reconciled?” J Empir Res Hum Res 2, no.2 (2007):25-40. Gwyther, Gabrielle and Possamai-Inesedy, Alphia .Methodologies à la carte: an examination of emerging qualitative methodologies in social research.” International Journal of Social Research Methodology 12,2 (2009): 99-115. Haggerty, Kevin D. 'Methodology as a Knife Fight: The Process, Politics and Paradox of Evaluating Surveillance.’ Critical Criminology 17 (2009):277–291. Hesse-Biber, Sharlene Nagy. Mixed Methods Research: Merging Theory with Practice. New York: The Guilford Press, 2010. Hutchings, Patrick. The Big Question. Springer Science and Business Media, no. 48 (2011): 478- 489. Jacklin, Kristen and Kinoshameg, Phyllis. “Developing a participatory Aboriginal health research project: "Only if it's going to mean something"”. J Empir Res Hum Res 3, no.2 (2008):53-67. Jamieson, Dale. Method and Moral Theory. In Singer P., ed. A Companion to ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell (2010): 476-486. Print. Kendall, Elizabeth, Sunderland, Naomi, Barnett, Leda, Nalder, Genda and Matthews, Christopher. “Beyond the Rhetoric of Pariticpatory Research in Indigenous Communities: Advances in Australia over the Last Decade.” Qual Health Res 21, no. 12 (2011):1719- 1728 Loader, Ian and Richard Sparks. 2007. 'Contemporary Landscapes of Crime, Order, and Control: Governance, Risk and Globalization.' In The Oxford handbook of Criminology. 4th ed. Edited by Mike Maguire, Rod Morgan, and Robert Reiner Oxford and New York, NY: OU ,2007. Piccini, Angela, and Kershaw Baz. Practice as research in performance: from epistemology to evaluation. Digital Creativity, 15.2 (2011): 86-92. Quigley Dianne. “A review of improved ethical practices in environmental and public health research: Case examples from Native communities.” Health Educ Behav 33, no. 2 (2006):130-47. Schinke, Robert, Enosse, Lawrence, Peltier, Duke, Watson, Jack and Lightfoot, Nancy. “Cultural missteps and ethical considerations with Indigenous populations: Preliminary reflections from Northeastern Ontario, Canada.” J Academic Ethics 8, no. 4 (2010):233-42. Silverman, David. Interpreting Qualitative Data: Methods for Analyzing Talk, Text and Interaction. 3rd Edition. London: Sage, 2006. Webb, Jenniffer, and Donna, Brien "Agnostic" thinking: creative writing as practice-led research. University of Canberra and Central Queensland University, AU, 2012. Read More

The Aboriginal Researchers - Report Example

Extract of sample "The Aboriginal Researchers"