Research Ethics & Knowledge-Holders
SJKS recognises that communities and practitioners may be holders and custodians of knowledge, not simply sources of research data.
Research involving living communities, Indigenous knowledge or restricted knowledge should therefore respect the rights, expectations and conditions established by relevant knowledge-holders.
Core Requirements
Where applicable, authors should ensure:
- Prior Informed Consent — Consent should be obtained before documentation, clearly state the intended purpose and use of the research, and be appropriately recorded.
- Respect for Restricted Knowledge — Knowledge subject to restrictions based on community norms, lineage, initiation, gender, season or other conditions should not be disclosed beyond the permission granted.
- Benefit-Sharing — Where relevant, authors should state how the research benefits or returns value to participating knowledge-holders.
- Attribution and Authorship — Knowledge-holders who wish to be acknowledged should receive appropriate credit; those who request anonymity should have it protected.
- Return of Results — Findings should, where appropriate, be made available to participating communities in an accessible form.
- Community Review — Where requested by the community, relevant material should be available for community review before publication.
Access to Community Knowledge
SJKS recognises four levels of access:
| Access Level | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Open | Knowledge approved by its holders for public circulation |
| Conditional | Knowledge shared under specified conditions |
| Restricted | Knowledge accessible only to defined persons or groups |
| Withheld | Knowledge that holders do not permit to be documented or published |
The appropriate level is determined by the knowledge-holders, not solely by the researcher or the Journal.
Research Data
Research data should be managed with attention to both FAIR principles and CARE principles for Indigenous data governance.
Where openness conflicts with community rights or restrictions, appropriate protection of the knowledge takes priority.