Library Guides: Native American Studies: Indigenous Data Sovereignty

Readings: Principles

Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Towards an agenda.
Edited by Tahu Kukutai, John Taylor
The varied group of mostly indigenous contributors theorise and conceptualise this fast-emerging field and present case studies that illustrate the challenges and opportunities involved. These range from indigenous communities grappling with issues of identity, governance and development, to national governments and NGOs seeking to formulate a response to indigenous demands for data ownership.

Good Data - Edited by, Angela Daily, S. Kate Devitt & Monique Mann (Full PDF Download)
This multi-authored chapter is the first in a volume the editors describe as born of frustration with dystopian “bad data” practices and devoted to the exploration of how data could be used “productively and justly to further social, economic, cultural and political goals.”
Issues in Open Data - Indigenous Data Sovereignty
Part of a wider report about the state of open data, this chapter discusses the tension between the principles of open data and IDS. Describing open data for Indigenous Peoples as a double-edged sword, the authors note the potential of open data to help deliver on Indigenous aspirations for sustainable development.
The State of Open Data: Histories and Horizons (Full PDF Download)
In the decade since open data first broke onto the global stage, thousands of programs and projects around the world have worked to open data and use it to address a myriad of social and economic challenges. Meanwhile, issues related to data rights and privacy have moved to the centre of public and political discourse.
CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance (Full PDF Download)
The RDA’s CARE principles propose an additional set of criteria that should be applied to open data in order to ensure that it respects Indigenous rights to self-determination. It argues the existing FAIR principles—that open data should be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable—focus on data characteristics that facilitate increased sharing while ignoring historical context and power differentials.

Organizations & Networks

United States Indigenous Data Sovereignty Network
The United States Indigenous Data Sovereignty Network (USIDSN) helps ensure that data for and about Indigenous nations and peoples in the US (American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians) are utilized to advance Indigenous aspirations for collective and individual wellbeing.
GIDA Global Indigenous Data Alliance: Promoting Indigenous Control of Indigenous Data
The Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA) is a network of Indigenous researchers, data practitioners, and policy activists advocating for Indigenous Data Sovereignty within their nation-states and at an international level.
Te Mana Rapaunga data Sovereignty Network
Our data, our sovereignty, our future. This vision drove the establishment of Te Mana Raraunga as the Māori Data Sovereignty Network. We advocate for Māori rights and interests in data to be protected as the world moves into an increasingly open data environment.
International Indigenous Data Sovereignty Interest Group
Through more effective collaboration, we seek to provide a highly visible international platform for ID-Sov that integrates and leverages existing ID-sov groups to create new opportunities for research and outreach.
Native BioData Consortium: Research for Natives, by Natives
The Native BioData Consortium (NBDC) is the first 501(c)(3) nonprofit research institute led by Indigenous scientists and tribal members in the United States. As a biorepository (or “biobank”), we ensure that advances in genetics and health research benefit all Indigenous people.
Indigenous Governance Database
Launched in September 2012, the free Indigenous Governance Database (IGD) features online educational and informational resources on tribal self-governance and tribal policy reform that:
Foster Native nation building
Promote tribal sovereignty
Disseminate Indigenous data
Encourage tribal leadership development
Support the development of capable governing institutions
Highlight sustainable economic and community development in Indian Country.
The University of Arizona Native Nations Institute
NNI provides Native nations and other policy makers with accessible research and policy analysis of governance and development in Indian Country and with comprehensive, professional training and development programs designed to meet the needs of Indigenous leadership and management.
Local Contexts
Local Contexts is a global initiative that supports Indigenous communities with tools that can reassert cultural authority in heritage collections and data.

Data Tools

My Tribal Area Data Tool
U.S. Census Bureau launched the My Tribal Area data tool that allows easy access to select demographic and economic statistics for each of the nation’s tribal areas. These U.S. Census bureau tool includes data from the 2011-2015 American Community Survey, including statistics on population, jobs, housing, economy, and education.
Provides comprehensive maps, data profiles and downloadable features for each tribal area.

Readings: Applications and Case Studies

Indigenous Data Governancy: Strategies from United States Native Nations (2019)
Carroll, Stephanie Russo, Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear and Andrew Martinez
This article reviews IDS strategies from Native nations in the United States, connecting IDS and IDG to the rebuilding of Native nations and providing case studies of IDG occurring within tribal and non-tribal entities.
Data Sovereignty and the Tribal Law and Order Act (2018)
Chaney, Christopher
This article surveys the relationship between data sovereignty and the provision of criminal justice services, a key aspect of tribal sovereignty.
First Nations Data Sovereignty in Canada (2019)
Centre, The first Nations Information Governance
Drawing on historical and contemporary sources, this paper provides an overview of First Nations perspectives on efforts within the Canadian context to identify First Nations individuals, communities, and Nations in official statistics and other data and ongoing First Nations assertion of data sovereignty.
Genomic Research Through an Indigenous Lens: Understand the Expectations (2019)
Genomic Research Through an Indigenous Lens: Understanding the Expectations
Nanibaa’ A. Garrison, Māui Hudson, Leah L. Ballantyne, Ibrahim Garba, Andrew Martinez, Maile Taualii, Laura Arbour, Nadine R. Caron, Stephanie Carroll Rainie
Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics 2019 20:1, 495-517
Indigenous scholars are leading initiatives to improve access to genetic and genomic research and health care based on their unique cultural contexts and within sovereign-based governance models created and accepted by their peoples.
Te Kete Tū Ātea: Towards claiming Rangitīkei iwi data sovereignty(2019)
Gifford, Heather and Kirikowhai Mikaere
This article gives an outline of the Te Kete Tū Ātea research project, an four-year, two phase participatory research initiative by the Rangitīkei Iwi Collective to establish iwi data sovereignty.
Indigenous data sovereignty in action: The Food Wisdom Repository (2019)
Johnson-Jennings, Michelle, Derek Jennings, and Meg Little
This article arose from the experience of the authors at the Research for Indigenous Community Health (RICH) Center.
Subverting the universality of metadata standards: The TK labels as a tool to promote Indigenous data sovereignty.
Montenegro, Maria
This paper explores how metadata standards, and in particular the widely used Dublin Core, reinforce colonial legal property frameworks and disenfranchise Indigenous people, and how they could be used (or subverted) to exercise and promote IDS.
Digital Data management as Indigenous Resurgence in Kahnawà:ke (2015)
McMahon, Rob, Tim LaHache, and Tim Whiteduck
This article documents IDG experiences within the Kahnawà:ke Mohawk (Quebec) community as it set up and used ICT systems to manage community data on research, education, finance, health, membership, housing, lands, and resources.
Data as a Strategic Resource: Self-determination, Governance, and the Data Challenge for Indigenous Nations in the United States (2017)
Rainie, S. C. , Schultz, J. L. , Briggs, E. , Riggs, P. , Palmanteer-Holder, N. L. (2017). Data as a Strategic Resource: Self-determination,Governance, and the Data Challenge for Indigenous Nations in the United States.The International Indigenous Policy Journal,8(2) .DOI:10.18584/iipj.2017.8.2.1
Indigenous data, indigenous methodologies and indigenous data sovereignty (2018)
Maggie Walter & Michele Suina (2019) Indigenous data, indigenous
methodologies and indigenous data sovereignty, International Journal of Social Research
Methodology, 22:3, 233-243, DOI: 10.1080/13645579.2018.1531228

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Native American Studies: Indigenous Data Sovereignty

Readings: Principles

Organizations & Networks

Data Tools

Readings: Applications and Case Studies