Future of Indigenist Research in Canada

Jimena Márquez is a multidisciplinary Mexican/Canadian scholar. She has over ten years of teaching experience, most recently in the Indigenous Studies program at McGill University. She received her PhD from the University of Ottawa. Her research focused on Indigenous Canadian scholarship across disciplines, looking specifically at Indigenous Epistemologies and Methodologies and the crucial role that positionality plays in Indigenist research. She is currently the Assistant Director in charge of developing culturally relevant programs for Nunavik at Kativik Ilisarniliriniq, the Inuit school board in charge of Inuit education in Northern Quebec.

"Marquez opens up the conversation about Indigenist research. This work is a change maker for those wanting to do research alongside us." —Kahente Horn-Miller, PhD, Kanienkehaka (Mohawk), Associate Professor and Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Teaching, Learning and Research, Carleton University"Through conversations with senior and emerging Indigenous scholars, Márquez captures the gestalt of our collective ideas in The Future of Indigenist Research in Canada. This book develops and expands the foundational concepts of Indigenist research, while also demonstrating Indigenist methodologies in practice. Conversations like these create space for the emergence of Indigenist knowledge that will help shape our shared future." —Shawn Wilson, PhD, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Professor, Indigenous Studies, University of British Columbia, and author of Research is Ceremony"The conversations that Márquez has gathered within these pages are akin to sitting down with a cup of tea and a group of brilliant Indigenous scholars. They speak openly about relationships, protocol, land, and what it truly means to be accountable in Indigenist research. Márquez's treatment of positionality, congruency, and the ongoing question of who can do this work is both unflinching and generative. For non-Indigenous researchers willing to do the necessary preparation that includes the difficult identity work this book demands, Márquez offers not a permission slip, but a wayfinder. This is essential reading for anyone committed to Indigenist research that honours all our relations." —Lisa Howell, PhD, Assistant Professor, Indigenous Perspectives and Contemporary Issues in Educational Research, Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa"The Future of Indigenist Research in Canada is an indispensable how-to for scholars, modeling relational research and providing guidance for those seeking to pursue Indigenist projects. Marquez's book contributes insightful dialogue between herself and established and emerging Indigenous scholars discussing key questions founded on good relations, dissolving the Indigenous versus non-Indigenous binary—a key step in revitalizing reconciliation and securing Indigenous futurity." —Noelani Arista, PhD, Associate Professor, History and Classical Studies, Director, Faculty Arts Institute of Indigenous Research and Knowledges, McGill University, and Canada Research Chair, Tier II in Indigenous Land, Governance and Language"The future of Indigenist research in Canada lies in centering Indigenous knowledge, decolonizing, and community-led methodologies that de-center colonial frameworks toward creating re-search steeped in relational accountability and reciprocity. This book recognizes that Indigenous leadership in re-search is essential to advancing meaningful reconciliation, fostering innovation, and ensuring that research reflects the priorities and lived realities of Indigenous peoples." —Kathy E. Absolon (Minogiizhigokwe), PhD, Anishinaabekwe from Flying Post First Nation, Ontario, Professor, Indigenous Studies, Faculty of Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University

• List of Figures and Tables Foreword AcknowledgementsIntroductionChapter 1: Journeys into Indigenist Research Chapter 2: The Importance of Relationships in Indigenist Research Chapter 3: Indigenist Methodologies Chapter 4: When Relationships Are Missing from Indigenist Research Chapter 5: Discussing Explicit Positionality with Indigenous Scholars Chapter 6: The Hidden Self: Distorted and Appropriated Positionalities Chapter 7: Protecting Indigenous Knowledge from Distortion Chapter 8: The Evolution of Indigenist Research within Academic Milieux Chapter 9: Strategies to Assure the Integrity of Indigenist Research Chapter 10: In Conversation with Non-Indigenous ScholarsConclusionAfterword Recommended Readings References Author and Contributor Biographies