Introduction to Indigenous Studies

DEVS 220/3.0

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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