Regions: South Slave Region
Tags: social sciences, aboriginal community, traditional knowledge, history
| Principal Investigator: | Borowitz, Michelle A (4) |
| Licence Number: | 14764 |
| Organization: | Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2013
2012
2011
2010
|
| Issued: | Jul 23, 2010 |
Objective(s): To document how issues and practices of transboundary water security and river resource developments affect local Aboriginal communities in the South Slave region and the Peace Region.
Project Description: The objective of this research is to document how issues and practices of transboundary water security and river resource developments affect local Aboriginal communities in the South Slave region and the Peace Region. The aim for this study is to interview community members such as Elders and traditional knowledge keepers; individuals in leadership or staff in Aboriginal organizations involved in the negotiations of the proposed hydroelectric dam project. Methods for data collection and validation are qualitative based, which requires significant time in the community and with research participants before, during and after data-gathering, analysis, and reporting, and include the following methods: Informal interviews - communicate with community members; inquire is casual, free flowing; topics directly or indirectly related to project’s purpose and aims. Semi-structured interviews - face-to-face interviews with volunteer research participant; more in-depth than informal interviews; topics more directly related to project’s purpose and aims. Participant observation - learning by observation, discuss observed activities and behaviours, and community’s worldview. Oral Histories - documenting individual and family histories about the Peace and Slave Rivers. Literature reviews - reading academic journals and books on river resource development, dam resistance movements, and human-water relationship, placing Aboriginal communities in a cross-cultural context and on a regional and global comparison. Search local and regional archives for relevant data about the community as it relates to the Peace and Slave Rivers, and to river resource development. The researcher will prepare specific oral and visual presentation, such as community forums, school presentations, and community reports for members of the community, special groups such as Elders and students, research participants and community leaders during the period of project. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from July 15, 2010 to December 31, 2010.
