The Power and Equity in Research Panel made some points that really hit home, for me at least.
Jemaima Tiatia-Seath and Daniel Hernandez both talked about being an ‘outsider’ in your field of research: Tiatia-Seath as a young woman in the Tongan research space dominated by men, and Daniel as a young researcher of American indigenous descent in a Pacific research space.
As of now, one of my areas of interest is in East Asian history, in part due to my background as Chinese-Korean diaspora. I always thought that as someone of Asian descent, I would be an ‘insider’ in this particular area. However, the panel has allowed me to realise that in spite of my ethnic background, there are many cultural differences that, in a sense, make me an ‘outsider’.
As someone of Asian descent who culturally identifies as a Kiwi, and grew up in a Western country, I lack many of the experiences and the knowledge that comes with those experiences. In Nicole Perry’s part of the panel, she said that in order to overcome this disparity, she tries to build a relationship with the community. Tracey McIntosh makes a similar point, in how those who have those experiences are the experts.
In light of these revelations, I’m still not quite sure of my place within the research space, but I plan to find my way there, somehow.
