Format: ORAL

Ina Vandebroek1 and Fleur de Marie Fitzpatrick2

1 Department of Life Sciences and Caribbean Centre for Research in Bioscience (CCRIB), Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies Mona, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies 2 Department of Learning and Participation, The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom

Academia has a long history of not acknowledging and/or appropriating the research contributions of traditional knowledge holders in interactions with Indigenous, Afrodescendant, and local communities. Recognizing this history underscores the continued need for more equitable and respectful science, advocating for genuinely collaborative research, and embracing co-authorship on scientific publications. This approach presents opportunities for expanded allyship networks, facilitates mutual learning experiences, enriches research methodologies, incorporates diverse perspectives, and fosters ethical and sustainable research outcomes. Co-authorship, for example, provides a platform for Indigenous and other local community members to actively participate in the research process, ensuring their voices, perspectives, and knowledge are properly acknowledged and represented. Moreover, collaborative research is impactful when embedded in long term relationships that support agency and self determination with the communities involved. Additionally, papers written collectively are more likely to be expressed in accessible language, enabling more people to build on research and rendering them more meaningful for posterity. This collaborative model foregrounds the significance of cultural sensitivity and respect for local traditions, incorporating the right to veto the publication of culturally-sensitive information. When co-authorship is truly collaborative it will promote trust and mutual respect, giving communities a sense of ownership and control over the research process and its outcomes. On the other hand, it is essential to identify and address challenges associated with co-creation of knowledge and co-authorship, such as power dynamics, resource imbalances, and the risk of tokenism. Consequently, research methodology should be informed and grounded in empathy as communities may have suffered trauma in the past from exploitative research and colonialism. These challenges should inform future strategies dedicated to nurturing more meaningful and balanced partnerships.