This study illustrates how decolonized methodologies can be effectively implemented through community co-design, centering local knowledge while addressing power imbalances in research, resulting in a culturally adapted body mapping method that facilitated open discussions on stigmatized sexual and reproductive health topics.
Key Findings
Results
A Community Advisory Committee (CAC) collaboratively designed a unique adaptation of body mapping that was culturally relevant and prioritized anonymity, community context, and participant comfort.
The CAC was engaged to collaboratively design research and data collection methods in Freedom Park, South Africa
The adapted method represented a departure from traditional body mapping by incorporating community-specific values around anonymity and comfort
The adaptation emerged from the CAC's involvement rather than being predetermined by researchers
The study focused on adolescent sexual and reproductive health, a topic with significant cultural sensitivity
Methods
The decolonized methodology incorporated elements of Participatory Action Research (PAR), Indigenous research approaches, and co-design frameworks applied in an integrated manner.
No single decolonized framework was used; instead, elements from multiple approaches were combined
The methodology emphasized reciprocity, non-hierarchical collaboration, and collective knowledge production
These elements were described as challenging 'traditional Western research paradigms'
The study was conducted as a qualitative exploratory study in Freedom Park, South Africa
Results
Participants were highly engaged and the adapted method facilitated open discussions on sexual and reproductive health topics that might otherwise be stigmatized.
High participant engagement was observed during the research process
The method enabled discussion of topics that carry social stigma in the community context
The authors attribute this openness to the culturally adapted and community-co-designed nature of the method
The study focused on adolescent participants, a population for whom stigma around sexual and reproductive health is particularly noted
Background
There is a documented gap in practical guidance for applying decolonized research methodologies despite their recognized importance.
The authors note there is 'little guidance on their practical application' of decolonized research methodologies
This study was explicitly designed as a 'methods documentation of lessons learned' to address this gap
The paper calls for future research to 'continue to explore and document practical applications of decolonized methodologies'
The lack of practical documentation was identified as a motivation for the study
Conclusions
Community co-design and self-determination in research design were identified as key factors in enhancing data validity and community impact.
The findings 'highlight the importance of self-determination in research design'
Adapted participatory methods were described as having 'potential to enhance data validity and community impact'
The process centered local knowledge while addressing power imbalances inherent in traditional research relationships
The CAC's role was presented as essential to achieving culturally appropriate and ethically grounded research outcomes
What This Means
This research documents how a team of researchers worked with community members in Freedom Park, South Africa, to design a study on adolescent sexual and reproductive health in a way that challenged traditional top-down research practices. Rather than having outside researchers determine all the methods, they formed a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) that had meaningful input into how the research was designed and conducted. This approach — called decolonized research methodology — draws on principles from participatory action research, Indigenous research traditions, and co-design, and prioritizes giving communities agency over how knowledge about them is produced.
One of the key outcomes of this community-led process was a modified version of a technique called 'body mapping,' which was adapted to be more culturally appropriate, to protect participants' anonymity, and to reflect the specific social context of the community. Young people in the study were highly engaged, and the adapted method helped open up honest conversations about sexual and reproductive health — topics that are often considered taboo or stigmatized. The researchers argue that this level of openness and engagement was made possible precisely because the methods were designed with and by the community rather than imposed from outside.
This research suggests that when communities are given genuine power in shaping research about themselves, the resulting methods can be more ethical, more relevant, and potentially produce richer data. The authors also highlight that while decolonized research is increasingly discussed in academic circles, there is very little practical documentation of how to actually do it — and this paper aims to help fill that gap. It offers a real-world example that other researchers working in similar community contexts could learn from when designing culturally appropriate and equitable studies.
Stevens-Uninsky M, Gallant N, Chatting T, DiLiberto D, de Souza R, Mbuagbaw L. (2025). Re-drawing the map: a case study of decolonized research methods & methodologies.. International journal for equity in health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02539-7