Determining the level of community involvement
It must be acknowledged that not all types of northern research will require, or
inspire, the same level of community involvement. These variations may be partly due to
the nature of:
i) the research question;
ii) the project goals;
iii) the methodologies employed;
iv) the community(ies) involved and the location of the research; or,
v) the nature of the information and/or results, and the appropriate methods
of communication.
For example, a purely academic study of geomagnetic phenomena using a remote
data logger offers fewer opportunities for local involvement (and will attract much less
interest) than will an intensive field study of narwhal distribution and abundance
designed to establish harvest quotas. The proposed location of field research (e.g. in
the community, accessible from the community, or inaccessible from the community –
requiring air transport from the local airport) will also determine the nature and extent
of appropriate community participation.
A Continuum of Community Involvement
Various levels of community involvement, within three identified research stages –
project design, data collection, and analysis – are presented below, along a
continuum from minimal to maximal involvement. Reporting research results can also be
considered a research stage; however, communication strategies are addressed in a
distinct section because they are ongoing throughout all research stages (see p. 15).
When reviewing these levels, researchers are asked to reflect upon the questions:
❖ What level of involvement do I envision as working best for my project?
❖ How can the level of involvement desired by the community be incorporated
into my project?
❖ How will this level of involvement vary in different research stages?
Project Design
1. Basic consultation (minimal involvement) – The standard consultation requirement of most northern research licensing and funding agencies, is that local
authorities (usually the HTO and Hamlet or community council) in communities
adjacent to, or potentially impacted by, a proposed research project be informed
about the research plans. Community authorities are asked by the licensing agencies to recommend approval or consent for proposed research. Local authorities
are usually also requested to indicate if planned research activities will adversely
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N EGOTIATING R ESEARCH R ELATIONSHIPS W ITH I NUIT C OMMUNITIES