Consultation, Rapport, and Collaboration: Essential Preliminary Stages in Research with Urban Aboriginal Groups

Abstract

Conducting quality research with any group involves rigorous attention to ethical guidelines. This area becomes more complicated when undertaking research in Indigenous Australian communities, given Australia's colonial history and power relations. The preliminary stages are important elements of the research process. Researchers need to engage in extensive community consultation, negotiation and collaboration to produce research beneficial to the Aboriginal community. Essential components of these areas are issues surrounding the development of rapport, informed consent, and ownership of data. This paper explores these areas drawing on the experience of a postgraduate research student to illustrate their importance. A research project focusing on mental health issues amongst Aboriginal people resident in Adelaide provides the framework for discussion of the issues.