An Antiracist Research Framework: Principles, Challenges, and Recommendations for Dismantling Racism Through Research

Abstract

Researchers have been more successful at identifying racial and ethnic disparities than preventing and eliminating these disparities. Meeting the urgent need to increase equity requires a broad interdisciplinary paradigm shift to antiracist research. Antiracist research is an action-oriented paradigm that assumes that racism is maintained within institutions; seeks to dismantle racism using nonracist research methods; and requires that study findings are disseminated to, benefit, and empower the target population. The ultimate goal of antiracist research is to dismantle racism and achieve a just and equitable world. This paper defines antiracist research and explains how it can be used to dismantle the racism embedded in research practices. We offer a conceptual framework, including 10 foundational principles for understanding and practicing antiracist research. We also discuss challenges that antiracist researchers often encounter along the antiracist research lifecycle. We conclude by providing several practical recommendations for principal investigators, members of the research team, funders, and universities to consider as they conceptualize, implement, and evaluate their antiracist research activities. This article has the potential to help reduce inequities and disparities via an urgently needed paradigm shift in research.