RA2.4 PAPER: Developing knowledge co-production

Developing methods of knowledge co-production across varying contexts to shape Sustainability Science theory and practice

February 2022

Maclean K, Greenaway A, Grünbühel C. 2022. Developing methods of knowledge co-production across varying contexts to shape Sustainability Science theory and practice. Sustainability Science 17(2): 325-332.

INTRODUCTION

Special Feature editorial for Sustainability Science: Innovative Partnerships and Methods for Knowledge Co-Production to Support Indigenous Cultural and Environmental Management

Since the valuable contribution to Sustainability Science of the Special Feature: Weaving Indigenous and Sustainability Sciences to Diversify our Methods (WIS2DOM, Vol 11, Issue 1, 2016), knowledge co-production has become a central feature of many sustainability efforts. Global environmental governance networks (e.g., IPBES, Indigenous Peoples’ Regional Forum 2019, Forest Peoples Programme) and scientific research forums (e.g., Sustainability Science), call for representative and context-specific strategies for knowledge production (Zurba et al., 2021). Advocacy for Indigenous rights within academia and research institutions has resulted in part to structural change (in some countries) to ensure scientific enquiry protect Indigenous cultural and intellectual property, recognize Indigenous rights to data sovereignty and facilitate negotiated research agreements that stipulate benefit sharing. In Australasia, ‘Indigenous Research’ is now classified as a ‘research field’ which recognizes the unique attributes and contributions of this field of science and affords it much greater visibility (see ARC 2020).