When discussing scholarly communications, it can sometimes be easy to fall into a mindset that open access and similar models are an exception to the “normal” model of Western European thought that emphasizes copyright and ownership of knowledge. But that paradigm is not universal, and many Indigenous communities in particular do not always regard their knowledge as something that can or should be owned by an individual.
On December 1, the White House released guidance on best practices for recognizing and including Indigenous Knowledge in federal research. This guidance will assist federal agencies conducting research on how to understand Indigenous Knowledge, fostering relationships with Indigenous people, and applying Indigenous Knowledge in federal research and other areas.
Released by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) the guidance is accompanied by an implementation memo. Several federal agencies have released their own guidance as well, and this effort is part of the White House Indigenous Knowledge Initiative.
While this guidance is intended for federal agencies, it may still be useful for anyone working with Indigenous knowledge in their research or classroom. Additional works such as Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing by and About Indigenous Peoples by Gregory Younging—available at Milner—also describe best practices for writing about and collaborating with Indigenous peoples. If you would like to include your own materials on our institutional repository, ISU ReD, or have questions about any scholarly communications or related topics we hope you will contact Milner Library’s Scholarly Communication Team.
