Research summary
Indigenous Nations around the world have always engaged in their own economies, with their own institutions, protocols and objectives. These economies have not only ensured the survival of Indigenous Peoples, but also supported economic exchange through relationships and community connectedness. As Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Economic Wellbeing and Freedom (IEWF), Dr. Dara Kelly aims to link the values of ancestral Indigenous economies with approaches to Indigenous economic development today and for future generations.
She and her research team are exploring the idea of Indigenous economic well-being and economic freedom as an expression of wholeness, sovereignty and self-determination. Working with global Indigenous scholars and drawing on Indigenous methodologies, they are co-creating and co-designing Indigenous economies and the institutions needed to support them. Their goal is to develop a research institute that will uplift the wealth of knowledge about Indigenous economies across academic, practitioner and government communities as well as non-governmental organizations.