Creating an Authorizing Environment to Care for Country

ABSTRACT Typically, Western Science approaches the study of complex systems by examining the component parts outside of their contextual relationships. In contrast, Indigenous people continue to advocate the need for land and seascape approaches that include all aspects of life, particularly the spe...

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Main Authors: Teagan Shields, Leah Talbot, Jack Pascoe, Josh Gilbert, Jade Gould, Barry Hunter, Stephen vanLeeuwen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Conservation Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13075
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author Teagan Shields
Leah Talbot
Jack Pascoe
Josh Gilbert
Jade Gould
Barry Hunter
Stephen vanLeeuwen
author_facet Teagan Shields
Leah Talbot
Jack Pascoe
Josh Gilbert
Jade Gould
Barry Hunter
Stephen vanLeeuwen
author_sort Teagan Shields
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Typically, Western Science approaches the study of complex systems by examining the component parts outside of their contextual relationships. In contrast, Indigenous people continue to advocate the need for land and seascape approaches that include all aspects of life, particularly the special relationship between Kin (people), Country, and Knowledge. Globally, Indigenous people are lobbying for environmental research to take a rights‐based approach that improves economic opportunities; confers greater authority over the stewardship of Country; delivers equity in managing Country; emboldens control to integrate knowledge systems; values and promotes culture; and recognizes Indigenous self‐determination. In Australia, the National Indigenous Environment Research Network (NIERN) proposal offers a solution that supports the rights‐based approach driven by Indigenous Australians through the establishment of a community of practice guided by Indigenous researchers and Indigenous Knowledge holders. We describe this Indigenous‐led solution to the self‐determination of Indigenous environmental research priorities by exploring the concept, the authorizing environment, and the mutual benefits that could be delivered by such a network. The empowerment of Indigenous people in research is possible if an all‐of‐system approach is taken. This approach must involve Indigenous people in all decision‐making processes including the development of research priorities, the design of methodologies, the interpretation of findings, and finally the evaluation of outputs and outcomes.
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publishDate 2025-01-01
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series Conservation Letters
spelling doaj-art-07eee3425f9c4b6aba8075fffd42c8942025-08-20T02:03:46ZengWileyConservation Letters1755-263X2025-01-01181n/an/a10.1111/conl.13075Creating an Authorizing Environment to Care for CountryTeagan Shields0Leah Talbot1Jack Pascoe2Josh Gilbert3Jade Gould4Barry Hunter5Stephen vanLeeuwen6School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWestern AustraliaAustraliaNorth Australia Land and Sea AllianceDarwinNorthern TerritoryAustraliaSchool of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem SciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustraliaJumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and ResearchUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustraliaNorth Australia Land and Sea AllianceDarwinNorthern TerritoryAustraliaNorth Australia Land and Sea AllianceDarwinNorthern TerritoryAustraliaSchool of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWestern AustraliaAustraliaABSTRACT Typically, Western Science approaches the study of complex systems by examining the component parts outside of their contextual relationships. In contrast, Indigenous people continue to advocate the need for land and seascape approaches that include all aspects of life, particularly the special relationship between Kin (people), Country, and Knowledge. Globally, Indigenous people are lobbying for environmental research to take a rights‐based approach that improves economic opportunities; confers greater authority over the stewardship of Country; delivers equity in managing Country; emboldens control to integrate knowledge systems; values and promotes culture; and recognizes Indigenous self‐determination. In Australia, the National Indigenous Environment Research Network (NIERN) proposal offers a solution that supports the rights‐based approach driven by Indigenous Australians through the establishment of a community of practice guided by Indigenous researchers and Indigenous Knowledge holders. We describe this Indigenous‐led solution to the self‐determination of Indigenous environmental research priorities by exploring the concept, the authorizing environment, and the mutual benefits that could be delivered by such a network. The empowerment of Indigenous people in research is possible if an all‐of‐system approach is taken. This approach must involve Indigenous people in all decision‐making processes including the development of research priorities, the design of methodologies, the interpretation of findings, and finally the evaluation of outputs and outcomes.https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13075Indigenous knowledgeIndigenous self‐determinationshared‐decision making
spellingShingle Teagan Shields
Leah Talbot
Jack Pascoe
Josh Gilbert
Jade Gould
Barry Hunter
Stephen vanLeeuwen
Creating an Authorizing Environment to Care for Country
Conservation Letters
Indigenous knowledge
Indigenous self‐determination
shared‐decision making
title Creating an Authorizing Environment to Care for Country
title_full Creating an Authorizing Environment to Care for Country
title_fullStr Creating an Authorizing Environment to Care for Country
title_full_unstemmed Creating an Authorizing Environment to Care for Country
title_short Creating an Authorizing Environment to Care for Country
title_sort creating an authorizing environment to care for country
topic Indigenous knowledge
Indigenous self‐determination
shared‐decision making
url https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13075
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AT leahtalbot creatinganauthorizingenvironmenttocareforcountry
AT jackpascoe creatinganauthorizingenvironmenttocareforcountry
AT joshgilbert creatinganauthorizingenvironmenttocareforcountry
AT jadegould creatinganauthorizingenvironmenttocareforcountry
AT barryhunter creatinganauthorizingenvironmenttocareforcountry
AT stephenvanleeuwen creatinganauthorizingenvironmenttocareforcountry