Transforming Methods for Research With Indigenous Communities

Abstract

Increasingly, indigenous communities are seeking ethical and meaningful research to be done in their communities, using transformed research methodologies. Consequently, researchers and practitioners need to be well equipped with integrative, systematic, and practical guidelines on how they can use transformative research, specifically Afrocentric or indigenous research paradigms, in the African milieu. This chapter defines how social scientists can make use of a transformative research methodology to conduct research with indigenous communities. The findings reveal that there is a need for Afrocentric or indigenous research paradigms in the social sciences. This paradigm introduces research processes that are both indigenous and transformative in nature. Additionally, the findings indicate how traditional research approaches can be transformed in practical ways unique to the African context. Furthermore, the chapter provides remedies for issues and controversies arising from using Western or conventional research processes in indigenous communities.