Reciprocal Research and Learning with Indigenous Communities

By Rachel Arsenault, Deborah McGregor, Sibyl Diver, Aaron Witham, and Carrie Bourassa

Abstract:  Within Indigenous communities, concerns regarding water quality from inadequate infrastructure and upstream industrial development, as well as ecosystem and human health effects from toxin release into the environment have increased significantly (Grinde 1995). This has led to a commonly encountered issue that many of the standards in place do not adequately account for or include a holistic approach for assessing the social, cultural, and spiritual values, beliefs, and practices that link First Nations peoples to their environment (Wolfley 1998). Many communities are now taking it upon themselves to identify environmental contamination problems and their sources, establish and enforce environmental regulations that include traditional ecological benchmarks, and develop sustainable, long term environmental protection objectives (O’Brien 2000).

Full text: Reciprocal Research and Learning

Presentations

1.)Bakker, K. (2016, September). The Water-Energy Nexus: Site C. Keynote address at the Living Waters conference, Vancouver, BC.

2.)Askew, H., & Wrightson, K. (2016, September). UNDRIP and FPIC in context. Presentation at McGill’s students intensive course on Anishinaabe Law, Cape Croker, ON.

3.)Hallenbeck, J. (2016, March). The Lawlessness of Settler Colonial Dispossession: Commissions, Archives, and Gender Violence. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2016/abstract/1ec261836ef5d3db442d788bdb4aa906

4.)Johnson, M., Hund, S., Morillas, L., & Steyn, D. (2016, March). Integrating socio-hydrology with ecohydrology to evaluate freshwater security in relation to multiple, interacting stressors in a drought-prone tropical region. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2016/abstract/69ecab01e9a6a883b526db96dc4f21f1

5.)Harris, L. (2016, April). Assessing States and Evaluating Publics: Perspectives on water service delivery and evolving state-society relations in Accra, Ghana and Cape Town, South Africa. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2016/abstract/1ec261836ef5d3db442d788bdbdf576e

6.)Norman, E. (2016, March). Negotiating Water Governance: Why the Politics of Scale Matter. Panel Session at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Chair at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2016/event/a742dd8d921cb843e1c5caa5275f1ad8

7.)Cohen, C. (2016, March). Negotiating Water Governance: Why the Politics of Scale Matter. Panel Session at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Discussant at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2016/event/a742dd8d921cb843e1c5caa5275f1ad8

8.)Norman, E. (2016, March). Drawing Lessons from Regulatory and Collaborative Approaches to Water Management in Western United States and Canada: Part 2. Discussant at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2016/event/a742dd8d921cb843e1c5caa5275f288d

9.)Norman, E. (2016, March). The problem is blowing in the wind: Water (in)security, scalar politics, and environmental justice of atmosphere-surface exchangeable pollutants. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2016/abstract/193aa96b70782879f8e5bb310bdfdb6b

10.)Diver, S. (2016, March) Beyond collaborative watershed management: Tribal sovereignty and sustainability on the Klamath River. Presented at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2016/abstract/1ec261836ef5d3db442d788bdbdec34c

11.)Bakker, K., Neville, K., Baka, J., & Weinthal, E. (2016, March) “What’s in the water?”: Corporate disclosure and investor-activists in debates over fracking. Presented at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2016/abstract/1ec261836ef5d3db442d788bdb34aab

12.)McFarlane, K, Jollymore, A., & Harris, L. (2016, March). Who’s Got the Power? Understanding ‘influence’ through consultation through the modernization of BC’s Water Act. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2016/abstract/1ec261836ef5d3db442d788bdbce3d79

13.)Wong, R. (2016, October). Building Watershed Peace. Presented at the Concept of Vancouver Conference, St. Catharines, ON.

14.)Bakker, K. (2016, May). Big Data, Ecoinformatics, and Environmental Governance Reform: Indigenous community-based water governance at the water-energy nexus. Presented at Water in the West, Woods Institute of the Environment, Stanford, CA.

15.)Harris, L., Bakker, K., Simm, R., & Joe, N. (2016, July). Indigenous People and Water Governance in Canada: Regulatory Injustice and Prospects for Reform. Presented at Wageningen PE3 Conference, Wangeningen, Netherlands.

16.)McFarlane, K., Jollymore, A., & Harris, L. (2016, April). Analysis of BC’s Water Act Modernization: Consequences of Consultation for Water Governance Reform. Presented at Res’Eau Annual General Meeting, Whistler, BC.

17.)Bakker, K., Harris, L.. & Behn, C. (2016, April). Indigenous Peoples and Water Governance in British Columbia: Regulatory Injustice and Prospects for Reform. Presented at the Salish Sea Conference, Vancouver, BC. Abstract retrieved from https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2016ssec/people/7/

18.)Bourassa, C., Bakker, K., Harris, L, Norman, E, Behn, C., & Amadi, S. (2016, March). Two-Eyed Seeing and the Ethics of Indigenous Community-based Research: Building Research Partnerships Focused on Sustainable Water Governance and Indigenous Law. Presented at UK-Canada Frontiers of Science Meeting, Royal Society and Royal Society of Canada, Whistler, BC.

19.)Tremblay, C., & Harris, L. (2016, March). Narrative, Storytelling, and Arts-Based Engagement: Revisiting Water Governance. Presented at the Western Political Science Association, San Diego, CA.

20.)Neville, K., Baka, J., Weinthal, E., & Bakker, K. (2016, March). What’s in the Water? The Investors Want to Know: Corporate Disclosure and Investor-­Activists in Debates over Fracking. Presented at the International Studies Association Conference, Atlanta, GA.

21.)Daigle, M. (2016, March). Indigenous Water Governance: Embodying our Kinship Responsibilities. Presented for UBC’s Emerging Research Workshop “Water Ways: Understanding the Past, Navigating the Future”, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC. Abstract retrieved from https://research.ubc.ca/workshop/water-ways

22.)Bakker, K., Neville, K., Baka, J., & Weinthal, E. (2016, April). Agenda-Setting at the Energy-Water Nexus: Policy Monopoly and Soft Capture in US Hydraulic Fracturing Regulation. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Association of Geographers, San Francisco, CA. Abstract retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ropr.12287

23.)Bakker, K. (2016, March). Addressing Water Security: Emerging Innovations in Water Governance. Presented at the Globe Sustainability Conference, Vancouver, BC. Abstract retrieved from https://www.globeseries.com/forum2016/conference/conference-program/global-sustainability-megatrends/water-integrity–infrastructure-&-innovation/

24.)Bourassa, C., Bakker, K., Harris, L., Norman, E., Behn, C., & Amadi, S. (2016, May). Two-Eyed Seeing and the Ethics of Indigenous Community-Based Research: Building Research Partnerships Focused on Sustainable Water Governance and Indigenous Law. Presented at the UK-Canada Frontiers of Science Meeting, Royal Society and Royal Society of Canada, Whistler, BC.

25.)Bakker, K., & Behn, C. (2016, June). Imagining Canada’s Water Futures: Big Data, Eco-informatics, and Indigenous Water Governance. Presented at SSHRC/Congress of the Social Sciences and Humanities, Ottawa, ON.

26.)Bakker, K., & Bourassa, C. (2016, September). Working in Partnership with Indigenous Communities: Indigenous Research Methods. Presented at the Social Sciences Humanities Research Council of Canada Partnership Grant Annual Meeting, Ottawa, ON.

27.)Bakker, K., and Bourassa, C. (2016, September). Overview: SSHRC Partnership Grant. Presented at the Social Sciences Humanities Research Council of Canada Partnership Grant Annual Meeting, Ottawa, ON.

28.)Bakker, K. (2016, October). Implications of the Tsilhqot’in Decision: Indigenous Communities and Water Justice. Presented at the Empowering First Nations Conference, Tsuu T’ina First Nation, Calgary, AB.

29.)Bakker, K. (2016, October). Site C: Statement by Concerned Scholars. Presented to the UNESCO Mission on the Peace Athabasca Delta, Edmonton, AB.

30.)Behn, C. (2016, November). All My Relations: Indigenous Law and Water in the Anthropocene. Presentation at the Walrus Talks H2O, Edmonton, AB.

31.)Bakker, K. (2016, November). Hydropower and Indigenous Water Rights: The Case of Site C. Presented at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Yellowknife, NWT.

32.)Bakker, K. (2016, December). Debating Hydropower and Canada’s Energy Future. Presented at the Deputy Minister Speaker Series, Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON.

33.)Cohen, A. (2017, March). Community Based Monitoring and Traditional Ecological Knowledge: A Snapshot from Canada. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/abstract/dcb181785f7fd70d2b1bd16d5a1e01ec

34.)Behn, C. Indigenous Water Law in the Anthropocene: Reconciliation Beyond the Human. Presented at the University of Regina, Regina, SK. Abstract retrieved from https://www.uregina.ca/student/asc/events/2017/03/Deliberation%20and%20Debate%20Caleb%20Behn.html

35.)Hallenbeck, J. (2017, April). Fish farms and freeways: Dispossession from water, dispossession from land. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/abstract/dcb181785f7fd70d2b1bd16d5ab44864

36.)Bakker, K. & Coulthard, G. (2017, April). Decolonizing Water: Indigenous water politics, resource extraction, and settler colonialism. Organizers at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers. April 2017. Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/event/a32fc5a2505106a50ac5bf9b2ff8cb61

37.)Bakker, K. (2017, April). Decolonizing Water: Indigenous water politics, resource extraction, and settler colonialism. Chair at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers. April 2017. Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/event/a32fc5a2505106a50ac5bf9b2ff8cb61

38.)Coulthard, G. (2017, April). Decolonizing Water: Indigenous water politics, resource extraction, and settler colonialism. Panelist at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/event/a32fc5a2505106a50ac5bf9b2ff8cb61

39.)Daigle, M. (2017, April). The Gendered Politics of Our Water Relations. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers. April 2017. Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/abstract/dcb181785f7fd70d2b1bd16d5a25cf75

40.)Bakker, K. (2017, April). First in Time, but not First in Right: Decolonizing Indigenous Water Governance in British Columbia, Canada. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/abstract/dcb181785f7fd70d2b1bd16d5a2625ef

41.)Bakker, K. (2017, April). Geographies of Degrowth, Part I: ‘Ecologies’. Organizer, Chair, and Introducer at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/event/a32fc5a2505106a50ac5bf9b2fd29069

42.)Bakker, K. (2017, April). Geographies of Degrowth, Part II: ‘Transformations’. Organizer at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/event/a32fc5a2505106a50ac5bf9b2fefeded

43.)Bakker, K. (2017, April). Geographies of Degrowth, Part III: ‘Decolonization’. Organizer, Chair, and Introducer at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/event/a32fc5a2505106a50ac5bf9b2fefdd4e

44.)Bakker, K. (2017, April). Geographies of Degrowth, Part IV: ‘Limits’. Organizer at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/event/a32fc5a2505106a50ac5bf9b2fefd98

45.)Bakker, K. (2017, April). Geographies of Degrowth, Part 5: ‘Subjet(ivities)‘. Organizer at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/event/a32fc5a2505106a50ac5bf9b2fefcad7

46.)Bakker, K. (2017, April). Indigenous Water Governance: Global geographies of water governance in Indigenous communities. Organizer at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of American Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/event/a32fc5a2505106a50ac5bf9b2fc8fd07

47.)Bourassa, C. (2017, June). Building Capacity in Research, Communities and the Health System for Indigenous Peoples. Presented at the Parliamentary Health Research Caucus on Indigenous Health Research in Canada, Ottawa, ON.

48.)McGregor, D. (2017, September). Anishinabek Gikendaasowin, Research and Water Governance. Presented at the Royal Geographical Society-IBG Annual International Conference, London, England. Abstract retrieved from http://conference.rgs.org/AC2017/274

49.)Bakker, K. (2017, September). Decolonizing the Water-Energy Nexus: Reflections on Collaborative Research From Northwestern Canada. Presented at the Royal Geographical Society-IBG Annual International Conference 2017, London, England. Abstract retrieved from http://conference.rgs.org/AC2017/274

50.)Hallenbeck, J. (2017, September). Water as Archive: Urbanization and Resistance along the Salish Sea. Presented at the Royal Geographical Society-IBG Annual International Conference, London, England.

51.)McGregor, D. (2017, August). Water Justice: Mother Earth Walks and Decolonizing Practice. Presented at the Royal Geographical Society-IBG Annual International Conference, London, England.

52.)Hunt, S. (2017, August). Ontologies of Indigeneity: Spatialities of Indigenous Thought and Praxis. Presented at the Royal Geographical Society-IBG Annual International, London, England.

53.)Daigle, M. (2017, August). Decolonizing Water: Critical Settler and Indigenous Perspectives on Water Governance Panel. Chair and Convenor at the Royal Geographical Society-IBG Annual International Conference, London, England.

54.)Harris, L. (2017, March). Water Governance Past and Future: Reflecting and Projecting Key Insights for Global Water Policy. Presented at the World Water Day Event, Montpellier, France.

55.)Harris, L. (2017, April). Gender and Equity considerations for water use, access, and governance. Presentation at AgroParisTech, Montpellier, France.

56.)McGregor, D. (2017, May). Water and Action: Applying Anishinaabek Gendaasowin to Protecting Water Water. Presented at Anishinaabe Nibi Gathering, Whiteshell Park, MB.

57.)Bakker, K. (2017, January). Wiring Gaia at the Water-Energy Nexus: Indigenous water guardians and decolonizing water science. Presented at the University of California, Santa Cruz, CA.

58.)Bakker, K. (2017, March). Assessing Site C: Economic, Regulatory and Environmental Issues. Presented at the University of British Columbia Department of Engineering (HydroTech), Vancouver, BC.

59.)Bakker, K. (2017, January). Canada’s Water: Myths and Reality. Presented to Arts Studies in Research and Writing Course 200 at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.

60.)Hesse, A., Baka, J., Weinthal, E,. & Bakker, K. (2017, April). Making science: How stakeholder coalitions frame scientific claims to influence federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing on federal and tribal lands in the United States. Presented at the Annual Conference of the American Association of Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/abstract/dcb181785f7fd70d2b1bd16d5ac2c751

61.)Baka, J. Hesse, A., Bakker, K., & Weinthal, E. (2017, April). Federal Hydraulic Fracturing Rulemaking and Tribal Participation in the US: A Discourse Analysis of Tribal Land and Water Claims in Relation to the 2015 BLM Rule. Presented at the Annual Conference of the American Association of Geographers, Boston, MA. Abstract retrieved from http://app.core-apps.com/aagam2017/abstract/dcb181785f7fd70d2b1bd16d5a234887

62.)Daigle, M. (2017, May). Embodying Indigenous Kinship Responsibilities in and through Water. Presented at the University of Calgary’s Institute for the Humanities Annual Community Forum, Calgary, AB.

63.)Craft, A. (2017, November). Honouring the Water Walkers: Indigenous Peoples and Access to and Protection of Water. Presented at the Ottawa Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics, Ottawa, Ontario.

64.)Nelson, J. (2017, November). Community Water Monitoring: Sustainable Water Governance and Indigenous Law. Presented at Invermere, BC.

65.)Wong, R. (2017, February). Home, Memory, Land. Presented at the PuSH Festival at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC. Abstract retrieved from https://pushfestival.ca/shows/festival-2017/critical-ideas-home-memory-land/

66.)Craft, A., Behn, C., McGregor, D., & Hourie, R. (2017, November). Decolonizing Water. Presented at the Treaty 3 Council Conference, Winnipeg, MB.

67.)Cohen, A., Matthew, M., & Neville, K. (2018, April). Community Based Monitoring: Finance, Knowledge, and Power. Presented at the Annual Conference of the American Association of Geographers, New Orleans, LA. Abstract retrieved from https://aag.secure-abstracts.com/AAG%20Annual%20Meeting%202018/abstracts-gallery/12596

68.)Diver, S. (2018, April). Self-determination, sustainability & Indigenous water governance: tribal water quality standards in the western U.S. Presented at the Annual Conference of the American Association of Geographers, New Orleans, LA. Abstract retrieved from https://aag.secure-abstracts.com/AAG%20Annual%20Meeting%202018/abstracts-gallery/12544

69.)Wilson, N., Mutter, E., Inkster, J., & Satterfield, T. (2018, April). Community-Based Monitoring as a Strategy of Indigenous Water Governance. Presented at the Annual Conference of the American Association of Geographers, New Orleans, Louisiana. Abstract retrieved from https://aag.secure-abstracts.com/AAG%20Annual%20Meeting%202018/abstracts-gallery/11309

70.)Craft, A. (2018, May). Broken treaties/fractured lands: jurisdictional and resource silos in an era of treaty infringement and reconciliation. Presentation at the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Tenth Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA.

71.)Chiblow, S., Craft, A., Gansworth, K., McGregor, D., & Venne, S. (2018, April). The Role of Indigenous Research Methodologies in Decolonizing Law. Presented at Decolonizing Law? Methods, Tactics and Strategies, Windsor, ON.

72.)Behn, C., Craft, A., McGregor, D., & Seymour-Hourie, R. (2018, April). Navigating Our Legal Relationships with Water. Presented at Decolonizing Law? Methods, Tactics and Strategies, Windsor, Ontario.

73.)Harris, L. (2018, March). Indigenous Peoples and Water Governance in Canada: Regulatory Injustice and Propsects for Reform. Presented at the Society for Economic Anthropology Annual Conference, Tempe, AZ. Abstract retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325864990_Indigenous_peoples_and_water_governance_in_Canada_Regulatory_injustice_and_prospects_for_reform

74.)Arsenault, R., Diver, S., Mcgregor, D., Witham, A., Bourassa, C., & Longboat, S. (2018, June). Shifting the framework of Canadian water governance through Indigenous research methods: Acknowledging the past with an eye on the future. Presented at the 1st International Conference on Water Security, Toronto, ON. Abstract retrieved from http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/10/1/49

75.)Matthew, M., Pena, D., & Cote, C. (2018, June). Indigenous Food Chiefs Know NO Boundaries. Presented at the 17th Annual Protecting Mother Earth Conference, Territories of the Nisqually Nation, near Olympia, WA.

76.)Copenace, S., Craft, A., Star, L., & Adams, K.C. (2018, November). Presented at Healing Our Spirit Worldwide, Sydney, Austrlia.

77.)Wilson, N. (2018, April). Decolonizing Water Ontologies: From H2O to Relational Accountability. Presentation at Panel Session, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers. Washington, April. Organizers: N. Wilson, J. Nelson.

78.)McGregor, D. (2018, April). Decolonizing Water Ontologies: From H2O to Relational Accountability. Presentation at Panel Session, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers. Washington, April. Organizers: N. Wilson, J. Nelson.

79.) Todd, Z. (2018, April). Decolonizing Water Ontologies: From H2O to Relational Accountability. Presentation at Panel Session, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers. Washington, April. Organizers: N. Wilson, J. Nelson.

80.) Chiblow, S. (2018, April). Decolonizing Water Ontologies: From H2O to Relational Accountability. Presentation at Panel Session, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers. Washington, April. Organizers: N. Wilson, J. Nelson.

81.)Smith, A. (2018, April). Decolonizing Water Ontologies: From H2O to Relational Accountability. Presentation at Panel Session, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers. Washington, April. Organizers: N. Wilson, J. Nelson.

82.)Wilson, N., McGregor, D., Arsenault, R., Nelson, R. (2018, April). Learning from the water: Building relational accountability in water governance through community-based research with water and Indigenous peoples. Paper presentation. Fostering Relational Accountabilities in Indigenous Geographies: Moving from rhetoric to reality. Organizers: Chantelle Richmond, Katie Big-Canoe. Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers. Washington, April.

Planned:

NAISA presentations

Household Water Sharing: A review of water gifts, exchanges, and transfers across Cultures

Wutich, A., J. Budds, W. Jepson, L. M. Harris, E. Adams, A. Brewis, L. Cronk, C. DeMyers, K. Maes, T. Marley, J. Miller, A. Pearson, A. Y. Rosinger, R. C. Schuster, J. Stoler, C. Staddon, P. Wiessner, C. Workman, and S. Young. (2018). Household water sharing: A review of water gifts, exchanges, and transfers across cultures. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water 5 (6):e1309.