Nygård, R. H., & Saus, M. (2016). Emphasizing indigenous communities in social work research ethics. International Social Work, 59, 666-678. doi:10.1177/0020872816646815
In this article, we ask whether a greater emphasis on communities in research ethics could benefit the development of Sami social work. To approach this discussion, we outlined two research questions:
1. What are the differences between the ethical regulation of indigenous social work research in Norway and the United States? This question provides a basis for discussing the
advantages and challenges associated with the institutionalization of research ethics.
2. What were the consequences of the dialogue with the ethical committees for our research design? Answering this second question offers a backdrop to the discussion of the role ethical committees play in the negotiation of power in research.
As the research was conducted within both Norway and Montana, we were required to follow two systems for ethical regulations. The differences in the ethical committees’ regulations and expectations when reviewing design of the same research project piqued our curiosity. In the article, we outline the difference in ethical regulations of indigenous research in Norway and the United States before presenting the consequences of the dialogue with the various ethical committees for our research design.
There are significant differences in the organization of ethical regulation in Norway and Montana. In Norway, ethical committees are national or regional boards. There are no special committees for research conducted within the Sami population. The questions directed at the research design mainly addressed internal ethical validation focusing on the safety of
individual participants in study. The organization of ethical regulation within the United States is located within universities or colleges. The Native American Tribes have established
Tribal Institutional Boards (IRB) at Tribal colleges to regulate research projects. In addition to questions ensuring the safety of individual participants through internal ethical validation, the local tribal IRBs require external ethical validation of projects by asking question addressing the ethics and safety for the community involved.
The communication with the Tribal IRBs challenged us to expand our dialogue with the practice field and community. Following the dialogue with the Tribal IRB, we included two principal elements in the study: first, the dialogue with the Tribal IRB impacted on the design of the interviews. A mini-seminar that includes a short presentation was added before
conducting the focus group interview. In the presentation, we presented the Sami context for the Native American social workers and vice-versa, the FGC model and our interpretations in projects so far. The idea behind the mini-seminar was to give something back to participants, not only after the analysis has been completed but also during the data construction process.
The second important change in research design after consultation with the Tribal IRB was including a giving-back seminar in the analysis phase of the study. Reporting findings back to community members at an early stage in the analysis provided an opportunity for feedback and guidance for interpretation of the material, helping to widen our perspectives. The closeness to the community heightened the quality of our research design and outcomes.
In the article, we advocate stricter requirements for external ethical validity through dialogue between the researcher, the community and the ethics committees. In our research project, the Tribal IRBs’ requirement for community involvement, changed the design of the research project. It obliged the researchers to include the study participants more actively. Sami social work development would benefit from an increased degree of community involvement in research. Knowledge production from indigenous society and social work research influences
importance. The debate has the potential to enhance the development of social work in indigenous regions and positively influence Sami society. It is a debate where Sami society should be actively included. We call for a debate between social workers, fellow researchers and within the research communities.
Figure 4 – Ethical validation of research within social work
7 Discussion
In the introduction of this thesis, I told the story of how the research questions in the study developed by interacting with the research field. The study started out as a study of FGC in a Sami context. Early in the project period it became apparent that empirical examples of FGC in Sami communities were almost nonexistent. This pushed me to expand the research question. The project developed to become a study of family and community involvement within social work in Indigenous communities. In the methodology section, I have shown how the research process was based on the interpretative method proposed by Haavind (2000). I also elaborate on how Indigenous methodology played a central role in the research strategy. Grounding the research in these two methodological principles facilitated the study to evolve in interaction and dialogue with the study participants.
The discussion section follows the chronology of the research process. In the first section of this discussion, I elaborate upon how the core principles of FGC, namely, family
involvement, restoration, and revitalization may influence the development of a FGC model within a Sami context.
In the second part of discussion, I elaborate on ‘professional closeness’. In the comparative study, I looked at similarities and differences in the reflections of social workers on cultural adequacy in social work. Social workers in Sami and Native American communities’ express closeness to the local culture as being central in social work practice. According to the social workers, closeness and connection with the community is essential for client, family and community participation in social work.
In the third section of discussion, I examine how community participation has benefited the research design of this thesis. Doing a comparative study inspired by Indigenous
In the end, I offer recommendations for community involvement when developing models for family and community involvement in a Sami context.