Indigenous researchers have long strived for anticolonial, equitable research practices. With Arctic research expanding rapidly in recent years, genuine and ethical collaboration is more vital than ever. However, without the right tools and awareness, well-meaning efforts risk reinforcing colonial harms.

As a student assistant within the reIMAGINE Arctic Research Group (this eventually led to my master’s thesis) I was involved in a project called NJUOLLA->QARJUK, which aimed to address these gaps. The project supports the co-creation of respectful, self-determined research projects by providing easier access to research ethics guidelines and protocols (co-)developed by Arctic Indigenous communities and organizations. All activities and outputs of the project are co-created by researchers from RIFS and two Indigenous organizations: the Saami Council and Ikaarvik. I am grateful for these partners welcoming me into their meetings, allowing me to listen, learn and shape my research.

This blog post shares some of my key findings and reflections from involvement in that process.

Connections and Contribution to NJUOLLA->QARJUK

Several Arctic Indigenous communities, organizations and governments have developed Indigenous Research and Guidelines Protocols (IRGPs) to guide research based on regional and community-specific demands, values, and interests. Drawing from their work, my thesis identified IRGPs from Inuit Nunangat (Inuit homeland in Canada) through online searches. Then I analyzed these protocols to develop a practical orientation resource for non-Indigenous researchers, particularly in regions lacking established IRGPs. Shaped by my findings, my thesis reports what these guidelines have in common and aims to amplify what they say in their own words as much as possible through the use of direct quotations.

By consolidating the guidelines through a structured online search, this resource makes Indigenous-led research guidance more accessible, lowering barriers for non-Indigenous researchers and others to find and follow them. The IRGPs I collected also fed directly into one main NJUOLLA->QARJUK output: an openly accessible database of Arctic Indigenous (co)authored research ethics guidelines. Additionally, a practical guide to enable Indigenous and non-Indigenous research partners to collaboratively create their own research protocols grounded in Indigenous leadership and self-determination is in the works as part of NJUOLLA->QARJUK; my thesis offers similar guidance with a specific focus on the Canadian Arctic. Both project outputs will be on the Co-Create Arctic website in late 2025.

Working with IRPGs and alongside this project taught me a great deal about what ethical, collaborative research should look like. It also challenged me to reflect on my own positionality and to think more critically about capacity awareness and responsibility in research partnerships, including through the process of writing the thesis. 

What are Indigenous Research Guidelines and Protocols?

Indigenous Research Guidelines and Protocols (IRGPs) are frameworks (co)authored by Indigenous communities and organizations that set expectations and demands for researchers working within their homelands. They span local community guidelines—such as the Gjoa Haven Research Planning Workshop Report (Laidler & Grimwood, 2010)—to broader national and international strategies, including the National Inuit Strategy on Research (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, 2018) for Inuit Nunangat and the Circumpolar Inuit Protocols for Equitable and Ethical Engagement (Inuit Circumpolar Council, 2022) representing Inuit across Alaska, Canada, Kalaallit Nunaat, and Chukotka. These frameworks are the result of robust consultation, Indigenous agency, self-determination, and self-governance in Arctic research.

What IRGPs Teach Us

A qualitative content analysis of the Inuit Nunangat IRGPs revealed three main themes: foundational values such as respect, reciprocity, humility, honesty, and openness from researchers; cross-cutting themes including relationship-building, free, prior, and informed consent, recognition of Indigenous Knowledge, and researcher reflexivity; and practical guidance related to research engagement timelines, benefit-sharing, data governance, community approval, and two-way capacity-building.

Ethical research begins long before data collection, but with the work of understanding your own positionality, familiarizing yourself with the history and governance of the place where you plan to work, and taking the time to build genuine, trust-based relationships.

IRGPs are relational frameworks emphasizing that ethical research begins long before data collection. They call for ongoing self-reflection, understanding of one’s positionality, and trust-based relationship-building. Practices such as obtaining free, prior, and informed consent are continuous and collective, not one-time procedures. Moreover, IRGPs promote two-way capacity building, recognize Indigenous Knowledge as equally valid, and focus on long-term, reciprocal engagement instead of mere compliance. Ethical research is rooted in ongoing reflection and relationship, not ‘’ticking off boxes’’ of ethical engagement.

[Indigenous Research Guidelines and Protocols] are not shortcuts for maintaining the status quo of dominant science, but critical instruments offering guidance to researchers willing to engage in meaningful, mutually beneficial, and transformative research partnerships. 
(Lingner, 2025)

IRGPs are not shortcuts to maintaining the status quo but vital tools for researchers committed to establishing meaningful, reciprocal, and transformative partnerships. They demand humility, reflexivity, and sustained relationship-building. For those dedicated to ethical research, IRGPs serve as a compass, guiding us beyond simple compliance toward genuine mutual benefit. Recognizing our biases and working to decolonize perspectives are essential steps toward creating relationships rooted in respect, trust, and shared values.

*Ikaarvik (https://ikaarvik.org/) uses making mitten as a guideline for meaningful engagement and knowledge co-production between southern-based researchers and an Inuit youth, as described in their paper: “Everyone wears mitts”: reflections on the use of metaphors in knowledge co-production in Nunavut, Canada.

Publication: Lingner, I. (2025) Indigenous Arctic Research Guidelines and Protocols in Inuit Nunangat: An Orientation Resource for Non-Indigenous Researchers Conducting Research on Indigenous Homelands in the Canadian Arctic. [Master’s thesis] Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development