Centering relationships to place for more meaningful research and engagement

Abstract

Research has the potential to simultaneously generate new knowledge and contribute meaningful social-ecological benefits; however, research processes and outcomes can also perpetuate extractive patterns that have manifested the climate, biodiversity, and social justice crises. One approach to enhance the societal value of research processes is to strengthen relationships with places of study and the peoples of those places. Deepening relational engagement with the social-ecological context and history of a place can lead to more accurate results and improved public trust in the scientific process and is particularly important for natural scientists who work at the interface of nature and society. We provide three actionable pathways that range from individual to systemic change to enhance place-based relationships within research systems: 1) deepen reflection and communication about relationships with places and peoples; 2) strengthen collaboration among research teams and partners; and 3) transform systems of knowledge creation to foster place-based roots. Action on any of these proposed pathways, but especially action taken across all three, can build empathy and connections to place and people, strengthening the meaningful impact of research both locally and globally.

Keywords: decolonize research; meaningful research outcomes; place-based relationships; relational research; transformation.

Fig. 1.

Three scales that researchers can iterate among to implement the proposed pathways and avenues to deepen relationships with places of study. The arrows depict how researchers can journey across the intersecting scales based on entry points that match their capacity and interests. For example, natural scientists who engage in collaborative projects may be inspired to deepen their reflexive skill sets, which might make them aware of systemic transformations they can contribute toward. Questions, actions, and resources that accompany these pathways are illustrated in Table 1.