ABSTRACT
This chapter is a discussion on the current state of community-based research with indigenous communities and, more specifically in a tourism context, by non-indigenous researchers. Particular attention will be paid to disentangling the various definitions and approaches to community-based research including action research, participatory action research, and community research, and linking these to larger issues of praxis. The increase in community and participatory research conducted in indigenous communities by nonindigenous researchers has generated a great deal of discussion (Huntington 2006; Louis 2007; Caine et al. 2009). We would like to continue and expand these discussions by presenting our own experiences in working with northern indigenous communities on tourism issues. These experiences include conducting research on the human dimensions of polar bear management in Manitoba (Lemelin 2006a, 2006b, 2007; Lemelin and Smale 2006, 2007; Lemelin and Wiersma 2007a, 2007b) and northern Ontario (Lemelin et al. 2010), examining the role of traditional ecological knowledge systems in tourism (Lemelin 2006a; 2006b), exploring resident attitudes toward tourism in the Canadian Arctic using collaborative research methods (Stewart and Draper 2006a; 2007), focusing on environmental dimensions of cruise tourism in Arctic Canada (Stewart and Draper 2006b; Stewart et al. 2007, 2008), examining wildlife management and tourism (Lemelin and Dyck 2007), and examining protected areas and tourism (Lemelin and Johnston 2008). Along with familiarity with the tourism industry in Churchill, Manitoba by all three authors, Lemelin and Wiersma have collaborated on previous research projects and publications, while Stewart and Lemelin are currently collaborating on three publications pertaining to tourism in Northern Canada.
