Indigenous Studies Program at the University of Alberta

Indigenous Studies Program at the University of Alberta
Name	Indigenous Studies Program
Institution	University of Alberta
Location	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Established	1970s

Indigenous Studies Program at the University of Alberta

The Indigenous Studies Program at the University of Alberta is an interdisciplinary unit offering undergraduate and graduate pathways focused on Indigenous peoples, histories, cultures, languages, and legal orders. It connects scholarship across faculties and engages with Indigenous Nations, Elders, and organizations to support community-driven research, language revitalization, and policy engagement.

History

The program traces roots to curricular initiatives influenced by visits and reports involving Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, collaborations with leaders from Treaty 6, dialogues with representatives of the Métis Nation of Alberta, and advocacy tied to figures such as E. Pauline Johnson, Buffalo Child Long Lance, and scholars aligned with the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association. Early development occurred alongside national events including responses to the White Paper (1969), activism connected to the National Indian Brotherhood, and legal milestones such as Calder v British Columbia (1973), which shaped curricular emphasis on land, rights, and governance. Faculty and community members drew upon traditions represented by speakers like Marie Smallface Marule, Harold Cardinal, and Ovide Mercredi while engaging with provincial institutions such as the Alberta Legislature and policies emerging after the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples report. Program growth paralleled the expansion of Indigenous scholarship amid debates highlighted by publications referencing Taiaiake Alfred, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, and Glen Coulthard.

Academic Programs

The program offers major and minor tracks integrated with degrees from the Faculty of Arts, options for combined degrees with the Faculty of Native Studies, and graduate supervision linked to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. Courses examine topics including Indigenous law informed by cases like Delgamuukw v British Columbia, language courses responsive to revitalization efforts seen in Inuvialuktun and Blackfoot language initiatives, and content addressing treaties such as Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8. Students engage in practica connected to organizations like the Assembly of First Nations, Métis National Council, and cultural institutions such as the Royal Alberta Museum. Visiting scholars have included researchers associated with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and awardees of the Killam Prize.

Research and Indigenous Knowledge Mobilization

Research programs collaborate with centres such as the Canadian Circumpolar Institute, the Boreal Research Institute, and partnerships with Indigenous-led research entities including Nishnawbe Aski Nation research nodes and the Institut national de la recherche scientifique in comparative projects. Projects have addressed claims informed by precedents like Haida Nation v British Columbia (Minister of Forests), environmental stewardship linked to initiatives by Parks Canada, and language reclamation connecting with work by Elder Mary Two-Axe Earley. Funding and methodology incorporate protocols from First Nations Principles of OCAP and involve grants from agencies such as the Canada Research Chairs program and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Collaborative outputs include community reports, multimedia archives akin to holdings at the Glenbow Museum, and contributions to policy papers consulted by entities like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

The program maintains partnerships with local and regional partners including the Elder Matthew Unger network, Amiskwacîwâskahikan organizations in Edmonton, and service providers such as Native Counselling Services of Alberta. It collaborates on educational initiatives with school boards influenced by decisions like Haida Nation v British Columbia (Minister of Forests) and cultural programming housed at the U of A Museums and the Art Gallery of Alberta. Outreach extends to Indigenous governance bodies including the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Stoney Nakoda Nation, and urban Indigenous collectives linked to Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society. Joint projects have involved land-based learning on territories associated with Alexander First Nation and cross-jurisdictional dialogues with representatives from Nunavut and Yukon.

Faculty and Student Body

Faculty include scholars with profiles comparable to figures such as Taiaiake Alfred, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Glen Coulthard, and historians in dialogue with the work of J.R. Miller and Bruce Trigger; visiting appointments have included researchers who have received honours like the Order of Canada and grants from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. The student body comprises learners from communities including Siksika Nation, Tsuut'ina Nation, Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, and Métis communities affiliated with the Métis Nation of Alberta; international students from regions such as Aotearoa New Zealand and the Sámi territories participate in comparative Indigenous studies. Graduate students pursue topics ranging from Indigenous pedagogy influenced by practices in Moose Deer Point First Nation to language work connected to Michif revitalization.

Facilities and Resources

Resources supporting the program include archive collections analogous to those at the Provincial Archives of Alberta, partnerships with the Edmonton Public Library Indigenous collections, and laboratory spaces for community-based research supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and environmental testing facilities used in collaborations with Alberta Environment and Parks. Instructional spaces integrate Indigenous design influenced by architectural work seen at sites such as the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and community gathering spaces modeled after structures used by the Blackfoot Confederacy and Cree Nation. Digital repositories, media labs, and language classrooms support preservation activities comparable to those at the First Nations University of Canada.

Awards, Recognition, and Impact

The program and associated researchers have contributed to reports cited by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, influenced policy discussions in forums including the House of Commons of Canada and the Alberta Human Rights Commission, and have produced graduates who work with organizations such as Indigenous Services Canada, Health Canada, and provincial ministries shaped by cases like R v Sparrow. Faculty and alumni have received honours and fellowships from bodies like the Royal Society of Canada, the Governor General's Academic Medal, and have contributed to public scholarship recognized by awards including the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund acknowledgements.

Category:University of Alberta