Indigenous cultural Identity of research authors standard: Research and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in rural health journals
- Authors: Lock, Mark , McMillan, Faye , Warne, Donald , Bennett, Bindi , Kidd, Jacquie , Williams, Naomi , Martire, Jodie , Worley, Paul , Hutten‐Czapski, Peter , Saurman, Emily , Mathews, Veronica , Walke, Emma , Edwards, Dave , Owen, Julie , Browne, Jennifer , Roberts, Russell
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural Remote Health Vol. 22, no. 3 (2022), p. 1-9
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- Reviewed:
- Description: The Indigenous Cultural Identity of Research Authors Standard (ICIRAS) is based on a gap in research publishing practice where Indigenous peoples' identity is not systematically and rigorously recognised in rural health research publications. There are widespread reforms, in different research areas, to counter the reputation of scientific research as a vehicle of racism and discrimination. Reflecting on these broader movements, the editorial teams of three rural health journals - Rural and Remote Health, the Australian Journal of Rural Health, and the Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine - adopted a policy of 'Nothing about Indigenous Peoples, without Indigenous Peoples'. This meant changing practices so that Indigenous Peoples' identity could be embedded in authorship credentials - such as in the byline. An environmental scan of literature about the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in research revealed many ways in which editorial boards of journals could improve their process to signal to readers that Indigenous voices are included in rural health research publication governance. Improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples worldwide requires high-quality research evidence. This quality benchmark needs to explicitly signal the inclusion of Indigenous authors. The ICIRAS is a call to action for research journals and institutions to rigorously improve research governance and leadership to amplify the cultural identity of Indigenous peoples in rural health research.
Position statement: Research and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples in rural health journals
- Authors: Lock, Mark , McMillan, Faye , Bennett, Bindi , Martire, Jodie , Warne, Donald , Kidd, Jacquie , Williams, Naomi , Worley, Paul , Hutten‐Czapski, Peter , Roberts, Russell
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Editorial , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Rural Health Vol. 30, no. 1 (2022), p. 6-7
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- Reviewed:
- Description: It is time to plant a flag in the White soil of academic journal publishing and declare, ‘This discourse includes the cultural voices of Indigenous peoples’. Indigenous peoples1 are almost invisible as academic authors in rural health journals. Occasionally, that indigeneity might be deduced from the institutional or organisational affiliation statements, or the acknowledgements, or the text of articles. Too frequently, it is not discernible in any way. In essence, Indigenous cultural identity is suppressed by the conventions of academic publishing. This sees author and subject credibility resting on Western views of provenance, including institutional affiliation, college membership, educational qualifications and disciplinary background. This research colonialism reflects a power imbalance that must end.