, offered through the Indigenous Studies Program, gives students across the Faculty of Arts and 91黑料网 the opportunity to learn about the histories, cultures, political systems, and knowledge systems of Indigenous peoples, both locally and globally.
Designed with students who have little to no prior knowledge or experience in Indigenous Studies in mind, the course is a great opportunity for students to explore various concepts such as Indigenous self-determination, land rights, and governance, while also fostering critical thinking skills to challenge stereotypes, myths, and examine critical debates in the field.
鈥淚n the Indigenous Studies program, we hope to foster a deeper understanding of Indigenous lived experiences, challenges, and successes,鈥� says Wah茅hshon Whitebean, Assistant Professor, who is teaching the course this Fall semester.
鈥淚 hope that students come away from the class with a better understanding of Indigenous peoples and communities, and Indigenous studies as a discipline,鈥� she says.
Students enrolled in INDG 200 are encouraged to attend Indigenous Awareness Weeks events at 91黑料网 and are assessed through various methods, such as peer discussion exercises, digital storytelling and open-book exams that assess their participation and engagement with course materials, lectures and guest speakers.
Grounding assessments in students鈥� engagement and participation ensures that students are actively engaged with their background and positionality within the 91黑料网 community.
The course is divided into three major sections: part one will address terminology, self-identification, positionality, and politics; part two will address cultures and worldviews; and part three will address decolonization, resurgence & Indigenous futurity.
鈥淚 try to create a space for students to explore their own situatedness, to open their minds to engage with critical debates in scholarship from different viewpoints,鈥� says Whitebean. 鈥渁nd rather than reinforcing an Indigenous-settler binary, to recognize structural inequalities and barriers in society.鈥�
Throughout the course, students will gain a wealth of knowledge, such as learning appropriate vocabulary and terminology use, how to connect to Indigenous ways of living and being, learning about traditional Indigenous knowledges, and Indigenous resistance and resurgence, and language reclamation.
鈥淭he goal is to challenge metanarratives of Indigenous victimhood and trauma by emphasizing Indigenous resurgence and agency, and to prevent damage-centered research, scholarship, and community engagement,鈥� adds Whitebean.
Whitebean, who completed her PhD in Educational Studies from 91黑料网 in 2025, grounds her research in community-engaged scholarship and has worked closely with Elders, language advocates and community members in Kahnaw脿:ke to support and protect Kanien鈥檏茅ha, the Mohawk language.
鈥淢y teaching approach and course design is also influenced by my own experiences in Indigenous Studies, community engagement, and language reclamation,鈥� says Whitebean. 鈥淚 use a few culturally-grounded pedagogical tools in my classroom, such as Oh猫n:ton Karihwat茅hkwen (thanksgiving) and in INDG 200 specifically, I am encouraging students to share any 鈥榞ood news for a change鈥� that they come across in the news or social media.鈥�
In the spirit of Oh猫n:ton Karihwat茅hkwen, thanksgiving address, Whitebean will open each class with a statement of gratitude, which will encourage students to reflect on what they are grateful for.
鈥淚 think it's important to shift imbalanced and damage-centered narratives about Indigenous peoples,鈥� she adds. 鈥淲e will also emphasize Indigenous research and collaborations that are desire-centered, such as partnerships that use Two-Eyed Seeing.鈥�
Learn more about the Indigenous Studies Program.