Robust academic evidence and research calls for Indigenous sovereignty. The cluster has begun fostering spaces for dialogue on issues affecting institutional academic relations, research sovereignty, and academic freedom. Some issues identified include Indigenous data ownership, access policies, cultural protocols, and research data governance. We have focused and framed our discussion on TRC Calls to Action, specifically Call 65 (TRC, 2015) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), that address Western research's historically harmful outcomes, policies, and injustices. In 2023, we will continue developing autonomous, reciprocal and self-determinant initiatives to support the change in Indigenous research culture at UBC. Some members are already engaged in co-creating and co-implementing projects and addressing research equity, ethics, epistemic violence, food sovereignty, Indigenous wellness, and community aspirations.
Our approach fosters reciprocal, respectful, and relevant relationships required for fundamental shifts in academia to understand critical systems involved in decolonization and restoring relational integrity for many distinct groups.
We have responded to the UBC Indigenous Strategic Plan by engaging in action-oriented and community-led research for Indigenous people, supporting the TRC Calls to Action, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), and UNDRIP recommendations. Several team members are leaders in these areas and are engaged with Indigenous communities to explore the co-development of research questions, implementation, and knowledge sharing.