Decolonizing research paradigms in the context of settler colonialism: An unsettling, mutual, and collaborative effort

The 4Rs can help researchers disrupt problematic aspects of the Western worldview.

“the 4Rs can help them to disrupt problematic aspects of the Western worldview.”

The 4R principles and exemplary practices privilege Indigenous perspectives in storytelling research and locate the power within Indigenous communities.

“The 4R principles and exemplary practices privilege Indigenous perspectives in storytelling research and locate the power within Indigenous communities (Chilisa, 2012a, 2012b; Held, 2019).”

The process of grafting Indigenous knowledges into non-Indigenous ways of knowing means continuing to work from a Western paradigm and assimilation instead of decolonization, and causing harm despite good intentions.

“This process of grafting means that we are continuing to work from a Western paradigm (Held, 2019) and assimilation instead of decolonization (Ahenakew, 2016) and causing harm despite good intentions.”

Core philosophical underpinnings reflect researchers' perspectives, determine what they count as knowledge and accept as ways of knowing, and guide their priorities, choices and actions in research.

“Collectively, these core philosophical underpinnings reflect researchers' perspectives or views of reality, determine what they count as knowledge and accept as ways of knowing, and guide their priorities, choices and actions in research (Held, 2019).”

Using all and the best tools and knowledge available in fisheries science would serve decolonial and reconciliatory efforts that help rectify uneven power relations, knowledge inequalities, and other racially linked and unjust dynamics in fisheries.

“Not only would it behove fisheries scientists to use all and the best tools and knowledge available at this time of crisis, irrespective of their origin and the perceived objectivity and superiority of Western scientific approaches (TallBear, 2014), but this would importantly serve decolonial and reconciliatory efforts that help rectify uneven power relations, knowledge inequalities, and other ra”

Indigenous fisheries ascribe to a relativist ontology, an intersubjective epistemology, a values-centred axiology, and a participatory and contextualized methodology.

“In contrast to the more conventional fisheries notions, Indigenous fisheries ascribe to a relativist ontology (where multiple socially constructed realities exist), an intersubjective epistemology (that respects multiple ways of knowing and forms of knowledge), a values-centred axiology (where relational accountability is key), and a participatory and contextualized methodology (that is knowledge-”

The last decade has seen significant strides in decolonizing research and methodologies and in defining Indigenous worldviews as research method as a defensible paradigm to guide scholarly inquiry.

“The last decade has seen significant strides made in decolonizing research and methodologies (Held, 2019;Kealiikanakaoleohaililani & Giardina, 2016;Smith, 2012;Wilson, 2008) and in defining Indigenous worldviews as research method-as a defensible paradigm to guide scholarly inquiry (Kovach, 2010;Latulippe, 2015;McGregor et al., 2018).”