Two-eyed critical sensemaking : an integrative approach for studying post-TRC organizational change

Abstract

The research method, Two-Eyed Critical Sensemaking, is a novel integrative approach for studying the relationship between policy documents and enactments of respectful reconciliation focused organizational change. Drawing from the guiding principle of <i>Etuaptmumk</i>/Two Eyed Seeing, I define six iterative methodological steps that weave together two qualitative critical research approaches - Culturally Relevant Gender-Based Analysis (CRGBA), an Indigenous-led view of applied policy studies, and Critical Sensemaking, a Canadian-led view of management and organization studies. I use the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada as a case study to demonstrate the function of the Two-Eyed Critical Sensemaking method. The TRC sparked public concern regarding Canada-Indigenous reconciliation and a discursive shift that transformed reconciliation into a defining political issue in Canada. But, the meaning of reconciliation is inconsistently used in practice. I propose the TRC presents a model for reconciliation-oriented organizational change for Canadian administrators responding to the Commission’s Calls to Action.