Sustainable Water Governance through Indigenous Research Approaches

Dear Colleagues,

The ‘research landscape’ has shifted to include multiple ways of knowing in meeting some of the greatest challenges of our times. In recent years, there has been a remarkable emergence of Indigenous research scholarship at both the academic and community levels. Research, in general, continues to be very much a colonial practice, re-inscribing power imbalances between the academy and Indigenous communities and peoples through continued control over knowledge production, access, and mobilization. In this volume, we address the question, “How can Indigenous research paradigms and methodologies inform sustainable water governance and security?”. This call responds to the need for acceptance and utilization of diverse knowledge systems critical to addressing water governance and security at every level of society.

The contributors to this volume are a testament to the rich diversity of Indigenous research methods. In this Special Issue, we provide insights into how a variety of Indigenous research methodologies have been utilized in water justice and governance projects. Contributors will link Indigenous theory to practice by emphasizing research that places knowledge holders and practitioners as experts, rather than merely “the researched”. Indigenous traditional knowledge is thus recognized as central to inquiry, though not exclusively so. This collection sets out to create the ethical space and reciprocal learning critical in meeting emerging water security challenges. We pose the following questions as guideposts for consideration:

1. How are Indigenous research paradigms and methods employed in water governance research?
2. How have Indigenous research methods been employed to support community-building projects related to water justice and governance?
3. How can Indigenous research support the realization of sustainable water governance now and in the future?

Prof. Dr. Deborah McGregor
Prof. Dr. Aimee Craft
Guest Editors

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