Course Descriptions

(IS) 1020E: Introduction to Indigenous Studies

The introductory course is a prerequisite for admission to the program modules. You need it to enrol in a Minor, Major or Honors module in Indigenous Studies. A minimum grade of 60% (70% if you wish to pursue a Honors Specialization),, is required for the course in order to pursue an undergraduate degree in Indigenous Studies. A variety of contemporary Indigenous topics will be examined from both academic and community perspectives. Students will learn key terms, facts, events, issues, worldviews and lifestyles of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Students will be introduced to current Indigenous scholarship, cultural experts, Elders and researchers.

IS 1020E: Introduction to Indigenous Studies 

An interdisciplinary survey of Indigenous issues, from academic and community perspectives including indigenous knowledge, historical background, oral history, socio-political context, arts, language and culture. Specific practical examples will be explored by researchers and community members actually engaged in their contemporary documentation and resolution.

Instructor: Renee Bedard

Course Outline 2022-23

Required:  Enrollment in All Modules (Minor, Major, Honors Specialization)

IS 2113: Algonquian Language and Culture
Students will learn the basics of a particular North American Aboriginal language (e.g., Ojibwe) and will examine the relationships of that language to various culturally relevant concepts.
Instructor: Mario Wassaykeesic
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 2210: Indigenous Peoples & Canadian History
Canadian history has relied on nationalist interpretations that reduce the role of Indigenous People. This course challenges these ideas by demonstrating the permanency of Indigenous Peoples and the continuity of their beliefs, practices, and political systems. Topics discussed include the Northwest Resistance, the World Wars, and the TRC. Antirequisite(s): The former History 2209E, the former Indigenous Studies 2901E, History 2210F/G. Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour. Cross-listed with History 2210F/G.
Instructor: Cody Groat
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 2212F: Cultures of the Pacific
Focusing on the cultures of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia, this course reveals how people often understood as peripheral are at the centre of global processes. The course addresses topics including social structure, gender, politics, economies, ecologies, cosmologies, and the representation of Pacific peoples. Antirequisite(s): Anthropology 2212F/G. Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Instructor: D. Campbell
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 2218G: Contemporary Indigenous Issues
This course explores the critical challenges still faced by Indigenous peoples in Canada. The material covered will be timely and relevant, including: legal and political mobilization; jurisdictional authority and self-determination; land rights and treaty relationships; the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls inquiry. Antirequisite(s): The former Anthropology 2218F/G. Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Instructor: Vanessa Ambtman Smith
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 2233G: Archaeology of Ontario and the Great Lakes
The prehistoric societies of Ontario and surrounding areas. Topics include the entry of humans into the New World and their arrival in Ontario; development of agriculture; appearance of historic period societies such as the Huron, Neutral and Ojibwa; impact of European settlement and economic systems on native societies.
Instructor: Peter Timmins
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 2251G: Select Topics in Indigenous Studies
Instructor: Vanessa Ambtman Smith
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 2253B: Endangered Languages and Revitalization
This course focuses on endangered languages and the local and global factors affecting language vitality and revival. Practical strategies for sustaining and reviving languages, including language documentation and revitalization, will be addressed with examples coming from various areas of the world and special focus on Indigenous languages of the Americas.
Instructor: T. Granadillo
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 2601G: Indigenous Environments
The consequences of physical environmental change for Indigenous communities around the globe will be examined in relation to the processes of colonialism and environmental dispossession. Topics include: identity, culture, local economies, social functioning, food security and health.
Instructor: Chantelle Richmond
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 2676B: Land, Art, Place l
For Haudenosaunee the landscape is an animate, living and embodied archive with which we are all interconnected. This studio-based course involves community engagement learning where students will create site-specific artworks that explore our (inter)relationships with the living archive of ‘place’, while inspired by the rich cultural histories of this territory. Antirequisite(s): Studio Art 2676A/B. Extra Information: 6 studio hours, lecture, blended or online format. Priority will be given to students registered in Indigenous Studies. 
Instructor: Jackson 2bear
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 2682G: Indigenous Women's Art
This course examines traditional and contemporary artforms created and performed by Indigenous women. Art as an expression of Indigenous women’s social, political, and spiritual realities is studied through readings, lectures, and artistic assignments. This course also considers Indigenous analyses, varied artistic styles, forms, and mediums, from Indigenous women across Canada. 
Instructor: Renee Bedard
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 2807F: Indigenous Feminisms
Students explore Indigenous feminist frameworks and epistemologies to understand the participation of Indigenous women in social, political, and environmental movements. This course examines issues relating to the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous women feminists nationally and internationally. This course also considers Indigenous feminist analyses and Indigenous women’s issues.
Instructor: Renee Bedard
Course Outline: TBA

IS 3140F: Indigenous Knowledge and Traditions
Indigenous knowledge, as a distinctive field of study, is emerging as an important tool in the movement toward self determination and empowerment. This course will examine Indigenous beliefs, ways of knowing, and worldviews to understand their differences and similarities, while exploring contemporary expressions through a variety of sources and interpretations.
Instructor: Denise Desormeaux
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 3142F: Doing Research with Indigenous Communities (In a Good Way)
In this interactive course students will learn the theoretical and practical foundations for conducting research with Indigenous communities. Discussions will focus on the history of research with Indigenous peoples; ethics, especially as it relates to protocols for using Indigenous knowledge(s); Indigenous research models; research agreements; and data governance (OCAP Principle).
Instructor: Ashley Sisco
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 3267G: Residential Schools
The Indian Residential School System has been recognized by the Canadian Parliament as an act of genocide. This course explores the long history of residential schools in Canada, from early initiatives in New France in the 1640s through the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015.
Instructor: Cody Groat
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 3722G: Indigenous Political & Legal Issues
Political and legal issues are inseparable in contemporary examinations of land use, self-determination, governance, individual and community rights. This course will examine the legal institutions and practices of traditional Indigenous cultures as well as contemporary practice.
Instructor: Ashley Sisco
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 3880F: Indigenous Literatures of Turtle Island
This course will introduce students to a diverse range of Indigenous storytelling practices from Turtle Island (North America), which may include oral narratives, literature, and visual and performance arts. Students will consider how these practices both shape and are shaped by specific historical and geographical contexts.
Instructor: Pauline Wakeham
Course Syllabus: TBA

IS 4022E: Field School in Indigenous Studies
An advanced seminar course combining in-class discussions of theoretical texts, research papers alongside community-based research. Students will be trained in appropriate methodologies and ethics of working with Indigenous Communities. Areas of research and instruction may include land claims, self-government, education, health care, and urban issues.
Instructor: TBA
Course Outline: TBA

IS 4023F: Community-Based Research in First Nations Studies
This is an advanced community-based experiential course that combines in-class discussions with community based research. Students will train in methodologies and ethics of working with First Nations communities. Areas of research may include but not limited to ecological restoration, land claims, self-government, education, health and wellness and urban issues.
Instructor: D. Moser
Course Outline: TBA

IS 4806G: Indigenous Peoples & Archives
This course will critically examine archival sciences relating to Indigenous peoples. Long perceived as politically neutral, the collection of records is now identified as an act of settler-colonialism that displaces Indigenous peoples and their historical practices. A class project, alongside relevant case studies, considers themes of power, intersectionality, and reconciliation.
Instructor: Cody Groat
Course Outline 2023-24

IS 4903G: Indigenous Research and Methodologies
This advanced course examines the critical issues and tensions of doing research with and for Indigenous peoples. Themes will include Indigenous methodologies (including but not limited to oral histories), and decolonizing research.
Instructor: Renee Bedard
Course Outline 2023-24