Indigenous Perspectives

Learning from experience

Our environment is in a state of crisis because we’ve been managing our resources from a Western economic perspective for centuries. To start making positive changes for the betterment of the earth, our researchers are out in communities listening to the views of indigenous peoples who have lived within its limits for thousands of years.

Listening, understanding and empowering

Our researchers and graduate students are conducting community-based, participatory research that is making a useful contribution to communities.

For the research to be meaningful, we start by going out into communities to listen to and understand the issues that are important to its members. We then encourage community members to get involved in the design of the study, collecting data and disseminating the results.

Here are just a few examples of the many indigenous perspectives research projects you could be involved in:

• understanding the meaning of 'resources' and 'biodiversity' from an indigenous worldview
• using digital stories to transform people’s ignorance of indigenous peoples in Canada
• exploring local indigenous/settler relations
• helping Aboriginal Peoples participate in environmental assessment and land and water stewardship
  
• examining sustainable Mi’kmaw cultural tourism development
  

Find out what our researchers are working on:

Karen Beazley Dr. Beazley focuses on indigenous perspectives on biodiversity conservation and stewardship of the land and water. She has established research relationships with indigenous communities and individuals in Nova Scotia.