Indigenous Intersections:
Tribally-Driven and Community-Based
Participatory Research as Means to More Culturally
Responsive State- and Federally-Funded
Government Studies
November 13, 2015American Evaluation Association
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The IMPAQ Team
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Welcome
Our goals today:
Increase your awareness of evaluation work in the Tribal context
Share strategies for applying the principles of Tribally-Driven Participatory Research in the context of Federal and state-sponsored work
Provide a framework to support your application of TDPR principles
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Why is this important?
Exemplary evaluations in a multicultural world should include Tribally-Driven Participatory Research (TDPR).
AEA Guiding Principles, especially:
Integrity/Honesty (C4)
Respect for People (D6)
[Cultural] Competence (B2)
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Community Based Participatory Research
Research with traditionally underrepresented or marginalized communities
Contrasts with helicopter, outsider, or safari research
True partnership between researchers & those being studied
Findings are incorporated to produce results that are accurate, relevant, & meaningful to the community
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Tribally-Driven Participatory Research
TDPR extends CBPR to include sovereignty & to focus on the interests of Tribal communities:
Acknowledges the legal & political constructs within the study that are unique for sovereign Tribal governments
Considers the diverse cultural, linguistic, traditional, & social aspects of Indigenous communities
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TDPR / CBPR Comparison
TDPR accepts the core principals of CBPR but moves from a passive to active stance: Research is tribally driven vs. tribally based.
The term Tribally-Driven Participatory Research echoes the core principles of CBPR while capturing the critical governmental authority of American Indian tribes.
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TDPR / CBPR Comparison cont.
The qualitative difference between CBPR & TDPR is that Tribal governments have the authority to codify research requirements in tribal statutes that can be more stringent than federal requirements.
Macaulay et al., 1998
Model Tribal Research Code, 1999
Fiher & Ball, 2003
Letendre & Caine, 2004
Brugge & Missaghian, 2006
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TDPR: Multi-jurisdictional research design
With its more active stance, and recognition of Tribal sovereignty, TDPR can accommodate a design that includes the legal jurisdictions of Tribal governments & individuals:
A multi-jurisdictional design in Indigenous contexts demonstrates how research teams, sponsoring agencies, & study participants will adhere to multiple sets of research codes & policies
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TDPR: What it looks like in the field
Wear appropriate attire: Informal but professional
Ask permission for info about Tribal government and cultural policies, protocols, and community practices
Be flexible: Visit with formal and informal leaders
Exchange traditional or other gifts
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TDPR: Communication in the Field
Interpersonal interactions: sometimes informal; be respectful: listen, humility, and authenticity;
Style and content: blended use of technical language, informal language, humor, and concrete examples
Envision/embrace the circle; sitting around the fire to work with the community and not on them
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TDPR Principles throughout the Evaluation
Procure DesignBuild
Skills/CapesImplement Analyze Report
TDPR
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CBPR
TDPR Principles: Procure
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Finding Indigenous researchers:
not everyone has business cards from AEA 2005
TDPR Principles: Design
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Disc
uss s
tudy
with
ITOs
Shar
e sur
vey &
inte
rview
que
stion
s with
ITOs
Feed
back
from
Trib
al lea
ders
Revis
e que
stion
s
Disc
uss s
ite vi
sits w
ith IT
Os
Pilo
t sur
vey a
nd in
terv
iew q
uest
ions
Aug
--
Sep-
-
Oct
--
Nov
--
Dec
--
Shared tasks between research groups
Built-in feedback loops for continuous community input
TDPR Principles: Design cont.
Widely disseminated
Tried to balance breadth (giving all a chance to share their opinions) with depth (learning about the how and why)
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TDPR Principles: Build Skills & Capacities
Designed a researcher training
Provided high-level facts about AI history that are key to understanding current context
Introduced CBPR and TDPR
Discussed what Tribal sovereignty means for research
Outlined application of TDPR in our study
Reviewed instrumentation and logistics
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TDPR Principles: Implement
Instrument Design
Co-designed survey and site visit protocol
Published initial questions in Fed Register / revised
Cognitive interviews / revised
Data Collection
Multi-modal survey
Recruitment of research partners i.e., Tribes that would allow us to visit their communities and learndone by Indigenous researchers
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TDPR Principles: Analyze
Member checking/validation
Show diversity in Indian country, where possible
Kept it simple: minimize inference
Strengths-based approach
This can be difficult to budget
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TDPR Principles: Report
Publicly-available dataset will be delivered in electronic and hard copy to participating Tribes
With agency permission, de-brief with interested Tribes using official Tribal Consultation process
With agency permission, distribute reader-friendly version of findings via OTR and other means
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TDPR Principles Worksheet
Procure DesignBuild Skill and
CapacityImplement Analyze Report
Key
Questions
Key
Constructs
Key
Stakeholders
Key Activities
Strengths
Gaps &
Challenges
Solutions
Lessons
Learned
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Concluding Thoughts: A strong TDPR-steeped evaluation
Provides visual examples of forms, instruments, or other databases to demonstrate the study methodology
Uses/modifies existing Tribal instruments, databases, processes
Considers from the Tribal perspective how research may enhance the development of current or new capacities, policies, or protocols
Shares successes & best practices with other Tribal governments & Indigenous organizations, with the knowledge, consent, & participation of Tribal constituents
Obtains permission to share, present on, or publish information outside of the Indigenous context
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Contact
Nicole Bowman (Mohican/Munsee), PhDPresident, Bowman Performance [email protected](715) 526-9240 TW: @nbpc1www.bpcwi.com
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Anne Chamberlain, MSSr. Research Associate, IMPAQ [email protected]: @impaqwww.impaq.com
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]
