Research with a community

We tend to think of science as objective. However, the identity and experiences of a researcher influence all areas of the research process, including basic questions such as what to research, how to research, and who to research for.

In endangered languages research, linguists form close connections to the communities they work with. As such, the identities and experiences of researchers, or their positionality, can have a direct impact on their research, as well as on the community they work with.

Recognising that science is not completely objective because of researcher positionality is a key step in decolonising linguistic fieldwork.

Factors affecting researcher positionality

Different models of linguistic research

(based on Czaykowska-Higgins 2009)

Linguist-focused research: Research ON community

• Linguist not member of language community
• Linguist as expert, observer, recorder of facts
• Speakers only as source of information and object of study
• Research for linguist and academic community, not for language community

Advocacy research: Research ON and FOR community

• Linguist not member of language community
• Linguist as expert, but
• Linguist as defender of and advocate for community interests (healthcare, education, land rights etc.)
• Research includes community interests and considers the social context it is accomplished in

Empowering Research: Research ON, FOR, and WITH community

• Linguist not member of language community
• Linguist as expert, but
• Collaboration with community members: training community members to research, putting together dictionaries or teaching grammars and books, etc.

Community-Based Research: Research ON, FOR, WITH, and BY community

• Linguist trains members of language community to research themselves
• Non-community linguists are trained by and learn from community how to conduct research within community context
• Linguist and community as experts
• Collaborative research