Indigenous-led environmental research in Aotearoa New Zealand: beyond a transdisciplinary model for best practice, empowerment and action

Abstract

Complex multidimensional challenges have prompted a transformational shift towards holistic research integration with knowledge systems differing from conventional science. Embracing diverse ontological and epistemological approaches through new styles of collaboration, dialogue and practice enables durable solutions and desired outcomes. As societal and global issues become more urgent, complex and challenging, recognition of the intersection of the environment with economic, social, cultural and political dynamics means transdisciplinary approaches are advancing. Integrative, collaborative methodologies are central to indigenous-led research, providing insights for Western science. We describe characteristics of transdisciplinary research from the international literature and explore related kaupapa Māori (Māori theory and practice) approaches. Location-specific, indigenous-led environmental case studies from Aotearoa New Zealand show how they are transcendent of the transdisciplinary approaches they encompass. We demonstrate research beyond transdisciplinarity, modelling engagement, power sharing and collective action through integrative, collaborative endeavours across knowledge systems and praxis, stretching the development of transdisciplinary research everywhere.

Steps towards operationalizing One Health approaches

“…How to integrate the environmental perspective with human and domestic animal health may be especially challenging because conservation and climate change policy can move much more slowly and not be very structurally compatible with other sectors. This misalignment could be ampli ed through how different sectors integrate or value consideration of policy inputs such as indigenous perspectives 9 , how success is de ned in different sectors, and differences in recognizing and managing social or cultural ow-on effects of policies. These complexities make the potential outcomes of cross-sector policy more di cult to predict.…”

Towards vibrant fish populations and sustainable fisheries that benefit all: learning from the last 30 years to inform the next 30 years

“…Fisheries are tightly coupled social-ecological systems (Ommer et al 2012 ) with complex interactions among ecosystems, human communities, and target species. The challenges facing fisheries thus span several academic disciplines, research topics, and sectors, and finding viable solutions requires integration across diverse disciplines and knowledge systems, and incorporation of perspectives from all interested user groups (i.e., rights holders, stakeholders, practitioners, managers, and decision-makers) (Turgeon et al 2018 ; Chuenpagdee and Jentoft 2019 ; Moewaka Barnes et al 2021 ). As progress has been made toward centering the human dimensions in fisheries research, multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary methodologies have also evolved (see McKinley et al 2022 ).…”

“…As progress has been made toward centering the human dimensions in fisheries research, multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary methodologies have also evolved (see McKinley et al 2022 ). Although these approaches all have merit, transdisciplinary frameworks extend beyond multi- and inter-disciplinary approaches to include and collaborate with non-academic actors, and thus require inclusive and cooperative practices that typically involve partnerships and knowledge exchange across science, policy, practitioner, stakeholder, and governance boundaries (Turgeon et al 2018 ; Kelly et al 2019 ; Moewaka Barnes et al 2021 ).…”

Transdisciplinary science and the importance of Indigenous knowledge

“…The questions raised from IK partnerships help disrupt taken-for-granted interpretations of facts, including explicit discussion of what makes valid knowledge and what data are counted or discounted in decisions. Importantly, the frameworks articulated in the resurgent Indigenous theories of knowledge give valuable pointers for the conversations and functional mechanisms required for establishing respectful and equal partnerships for knowledge sharing (Allen et al, 2009;Brierley et al, 2019;Broughton et al, 2015;Colbourne et al, 2020;David-Chavez & Gavin, 2018;Hikuroa, 2017;Moewaka Barnes et al, 2021;Parsons et al, 2016Parsons et al, , 2017Smith, 2021).…”

“…Combined IK and Td approaches can therefore strengthen the potential of research to be accountable to a broader range of social and environmental criteria and considerations (e.g., see Box 1). There is growing work proving how combining IK in Td styled Kaupapa Māori aligned approaches contributes to more effective modeling and deeper understandings of interconnecting social and environmental problems (Allen et al, 2009; Foote et al, 2020; Holker et al, 2010; Lundquist et al, 2016; Moewaka Barnes et al, 2021; Moller et al, 2009). Working in partnership in respectful and equitable ways helps challenge taken‐for‐granted assumptions and extractive tendencies in research and wider BAU practices.…”