Skip to main content

A Step in the Right Direction: Measuring Indicators of Responsible Community Engagement in Samburu, Kenya

Journal of Academic Ethics volume 20, pages 209–226 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

The inclusion of stakeholders and knowledge systems is increasingly valued in research to address complex socio-ecological challenges around the world. Often these projects take place in cross-cultural setting where external researchers risk perpetuating historically extractive research models that not only harm local communities but damage the validity of research projects. Responsible community engagement is increasingly recognized as a practice that can improve researcher-community relationships and research quality by incorporating principles of ethics, reciprocity, and power sharing. In partnership with local community leaders, researchers from a U.S. university coded 76 research articles for indicators of responsible community engagement conducted in the Samburu, Kenya community since 2000. Findings from this study suggest that most of the research in Samburu has followed extractive models. Of the 76 articles reviewed many failed to acknowledge ethical protocols, did not address relevance of the study to the local community, and did not report any indication of outreach or community change as a result of the research. While a portion of articles showed evidence of community involvement in the studies, the involvement was primarily limited to secondary roles with little to no shared decision-making power over the research process. We discuss methodological considerations for future research and steps that must be taken in order to shift the norm and practice of academic research in sites such as Samburu, Kenya.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Data Availability

Data is available at Colorado State University Digital Repository.

References

  • Adger, W. N., Pulhin, J. M., Barnett, J., Dabelko, G. D., Hovelsrud, G. K., Levy, M., Oswald Spring, Ú., & Vogel, C. H. (2014) Human security. In C.B. Field et al. (eds) Climate change 2014: Impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Part A: Global and Sectoral Aspects (pp. 755–791). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

  • Allen, M. L., Culhane-Pera, K. A., Pergament, S., & Call, K. T. (2011). A capacity building program to promote CBPR partnerships between academic researchers and community members. Clinical and Translational Science, 4(6), 428–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aluwihare-Samaranayake, D. (2012). Ethics in qualitative research: A view of the participants’ and researchers’ world from a critical standpoint. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 11(2), 64–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armon, J., Scoffham, S., & Armon, C. (2019). Prioritizing sustainability education: A comprehensive approach. Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bisong, F., & Andrew-Essien, E. (2010). Indigenous knowledge systems for promoting community conservation education in a Nigerian protected area. International Journal of Biology, 2(2), 149–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brittain, S., Ibbett, H., de Lange, E., Dorward, L., Hoyte, S., Marino, A., & Lewis, J. (2020). Ethical considerations when conservation research involves people. Conservation Biology, 00, 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castleden, H., Morgan, V. S., & Neimanis, A. (2010). Researchers’ perspectives on collective/community co-authorship in community-based participatory indigenous research. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, 5(4), 23–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chilisa, B. (2019). Indigenous research methodologies. Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cochran, P., Huntington, O. H., Pungowiyi, C., Tom, S., Chapin, F. S., Huntington, H. P., Maynard, N. G., & Trainor, S. F. (2013). Indigenous frameworks for observing and responding to climate change in Alaska. Climate Change, 120, 557–567.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. (2009). Income diversification among pastoralists: Lessons for policy makers. Policy brief. http://fic.tufts.edu/pacaps-project/Pastoralism%20&%20Policy/COMESA%20Economic%20Diversification%20Pastoralists%20Policy%20Brief%203.pdf. Accessed 20 April 2020.

  • Correa, C. M. (2002). Protection and promotion of traditional medicine: implications for public health in developing countries. South Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • David-Chavez, D. M., & Gavin, M. C. (2018). A global assessment of Indigenous community engagement in climate research. Environmental Research Letters, 13(12), 123005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, R., & Alexander, C. (2011). Researching with peer/community researchers–ambivalences and tensions. In M. Williams & W. P. Vogt (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of innovation in social research methods (pp. 262–292). Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flicker, S., Travers, R., Guta, A., McDonald, S., & Meagher, A. (2007). Ethical dilemmas in community-based participatory research: Recommendations for institutional review boards. Journal of Urban Health, 84(4), 478–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ford, J. D., Cameron, L., Rubis, J., Maillet, M., Nakashima, D., Willox, A. C., & Pearce, T. (2016). Including indigenous knowledge and experience in IPCC assessment reports. Nature Climate Change, 6(4), 349–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Healey, R. (2019). From individual to collective consent: The case of Indigenous Peoples and UNDRIP. International Journal on Minority and Group Rights, 27(2), 251–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodge, F. S. (2012). No meaningful apology for American Indian unethical research abuses. Ethics and Behavior, 22(6), 431–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holland, S., Renold, E., Ross, N. J., & Hillman, A. (2010). Power, agency and participatory agendas: A critical exploration of young people’s engagement in participative qualitative research. Childhood, 17(3), 360–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson, M. (2009). Think globally, act locally: Collective consent and the ethics of knowledge production. International Social Science Journal, 60(195), 125–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jagosh, J., Bush, P. L., Salsberg, J., Macaulay, A. C., Greenhalgh, T., Wong, G., & Pluye, P. (2015). A realist evaluation of community-based participatory research: partnership synergy, trust building and related ripple effects. BMC Public Health, 15(1), 1–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karnieli-Miller, O., Strier, R., & Pessach, L. (2009). Power relations in qualitative research. Qualitative Health Research, 19(2), 279–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2019). Population by county and sub-county (volume 1). Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

  • Khatri, R., & Ozano, K. (2018). Reflexivity, positionality and power in cross-cultural participatory action research with research assistants in rural Cambodia. Educational Action Research, 26(2), 190–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuria, W. D. (2019). Influence of the pastoralists’ formal education level on economic prosperity: A case study of Samburu pastoral community, Kenya. European Journal of Education Studies, 5(12), 73–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lesorogol, C. K. (2008). Land privatization and pastoralist well-being in Kenya. Development and Change, 39(2), 309–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDowell, G., Ford, J., & Jones, J. (2016). Community-level climate change vulnerability research: Trends, progress and future directions. Environmental Research Letters, 11(3), 033001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, C. (2012). Understanding participatory action research: A qualitative research methodology option. The Canadian Journal of Action Research, 13(2), 34–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muoria, P. K., Muruthi, P., Kariuki, W. K., Hassan, B. A., Mijele, D., & Oguge, N. O. (2007). Anthrax outbreak among Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi) in Samburu, Kenya. African Journal of Ecology, 45(4), 483–489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng’asike, J. T. (2019). Indigenous knowledge practices for sustainable lifelong education in pastoralist communities of Kenya. International Review of Education, 65(1), 19–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng’etich, K. A. (2005). Indigenous knowledge, alternative medicine and intellectual property rights concerns in Kenya. In Codesria (Ed.), Rethinking African development: Beyond impasse, towards alternatives (pp. 6–10). Maputo, Mozambique: Codesria.

  • Njonjo, K. S. (2013). Exploring Kenya’s inequality: Pulling apart or pooling together. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Omwenga, E., Okemo, P. O., Mbugua, P. K., & Ogol, C. (2009). Ethnobotanical survey and antimicrobial evaluation of medicinal plants used by the Samburu community (Kenya) for treatment of diarrhea. Pharmacognosy Magazine, 4(18), 165–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Opiyo, F., Wasonga, O., Nyangito, M., Schilling, J., & Munang, R. (2015). Drought adaptation and coping strategies among the Turkana pastoralists of northern Kenya. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 6(3), 295–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pas, A. (2018). Governing grazing and mobility in the Samburu lowlands, Kenya. Land, 7(2), 1–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearce, T. D., Ford, J. D., Laidler, G. J., Smit, B., Duerden, F., Allarut, A., & M., Baryluk, A., Dialla, A., Elee, P., Goose, A., Ikummaq, Kataoyak, F., Loring, E., Meakin, S., Nickels, S., Shappa, K., Shirley, J., & Wandel, J. (2009). Community collaboration and climate change research in the Canadian Arctic. Polar Research, 28(1), 10–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reed, M. S. (2008). Stakeholder participation for environmental management: A literature review. Biological Conservation, 141, 2417–2431.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid, R. S., Fernández-Giménez, M. E., & Galvin, K. A. (2014). Dynamics and resilience of rangelands and pastoral peoples around the globe. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 39, 217–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Runnels, V., & Andrew, C. (2013). Community-based research decision-making: Experiences and factors affecting participation. Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement, 6, 22–37.

  • Trainor, A., & Bouchard, K. A. (2013). Exploring and developing reciprocity in research design. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 26(8), 986–1003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verney, S. P., Avila, M., Espinosa, P. R., Cholka, C. B., Benson, J. G., Baloo, A., & Pozernick, C. D. (2016). Culturally sensitive assessments as a strength based approach to wellness in native communities: A community-based participatory research project. American Indian Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 23(3), 271–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, S. E., Bruyere, B. L., Grady, M., McHenry, A., Frickman, C., Davis, W. & Unity Women's Village (2020). Taking stories: The ethics of crosscultural community conservation research in Samburu, Kenya. Gateways, 13 (1).

  • Wallerstein, N., & Duran, B. (2006). Using community-based participatory research to address health disparities. Health Promotion Practice, 7(3), 312–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, T., & Hardison, P. (2013). Culture, law, risk and governance: contexts of traditionalknowledge in climate change adaptation. Climate Change, 120, 531–544.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA

    Roy Van Anda, Brett L. Bruyere, Sarah Walker & Martha Bierut

  2. Conservation Leadership Through Learning Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA

    Brett L. Bruyere, Meredith Grady, Courtney Massey & Martha Bierut

  3. Community Leader, Samburu, Kenya

    Christine Namunyak, Apin Yasin & Anastasia Leparporit

Authors
  1. Roy Van Anda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Brett L. Bruyere
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sarah Walker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Christine Namunyak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Apin Yasin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Anastasia Leparporit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Meredith Grady
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Courtney Massey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Martha Bierut
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Alexandra McHenry
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brett L. Bruyere.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare they have no competing interests or conflicts.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Van Anda, R., Bruyere, B.L., Walker, S. et al. A Step in the Right Direction: Measuring Indicators of Responsible Community Engagement in Samburu, Kenya. J Acad Ethics 20, 209–226 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-021-09408-2

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-021-09408-2

Keywords

  • Responsible community engagement
  • Power
  • Reciprocity
  • Research ethics
  • Institutional Review Board
  • Samburu