Overview
DEVS 220 will help you develop a foundation for further inquiries into Indigenous Studies. Students will develop a general knowledge of North American Indigeneity with a focus on Indigenous peoples in Canada. This course will prepare the student to evaluate written and oral historical/cultural knowledge related to Indigenous people and colonial interventions affecting Indigenous communities. The student will develop strategies for analyzing primary sources as well as acquire a basic knowledge of secondary resources. Students will challenge pre-conceived ideas acquired as citizens of a colonial culture. Course lectures and material will be presented from an Indigenous perspective. The instructor will use both Indigenous and western/mainstream pedagogies.
Learning Outcomes
After completing DEVS 220, students will be better equipped to:
- Describe historical/cultural knowledge of various Indigenous groups in Canada, and apply this knowledge to critique colonization and by attempting to decolonize;
- Apply elements of Indigenous ways of knowing (emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical) to learning and development, holistically with respect to one’s life journey, and specifically to: terminology and doctrines, Indigenous cultures and politics of Indigenous identity, myths of indigeneity, intergenerational state violence, and Indigenous resurgence and resistance;
- Recognize Indigenous connections to the land and all elements of creation, and explore the place of Indigenous people, centering Indigenous voices and perspectives;
- Engage in deep and sustained self-directed, inquiry-based learning, supported by a community of learners, developing appropriate strategies for engagement, solidarity, and allyship; and
- Contribute to building a consensus-based learning community that prioritizes laws of the group, trusting relationships, consistency, accountability, and respect.
Topics at a Glance
Module 1 (Teminology and Doctrines)
- Introduction to the Course
- Terminology
- Doctrines of Colonialism
Module 2 (Indegenous Cultures and Politics of Indigenous Identity in Canada)
- Grounding History, Remapping History
- Indian Status in Canada
- Indigenous Identity in Canada
Module 3 (Myths of Indigeneity)
- Dispelling Myths Associated with Indigenous Identity
- Decolonizing the Academy
Module 4 (Intergenerational State Violence)
- Politics of Indigenous Identity
- Residential Schools and the Sixties Scoop
- Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Module 5 (Indigenous Resurgence and Resistance)
- Intergovernmental Relations
- Indigenous Feminisms
- Indigenous Masculinities