ANTH204: Native Peoples of North America

This course introduces students to the position that an image of inseparability – as featured on coins and banknotes in circulation everyday – normalizes ‘domestic’ relations between post-settler nationhood (majority Canadian society) and First Peoples in Canada. All too often, this image eschews the fact that Native Canada is a geographically and socially diverse place made up of peoples with their own distinct histories, cultural systems and social structures. We will develop discussion of ‘inseparability’ through the first few weeks to frame the two main objectives of this course: 1) the examination of the sovereign historical development of Native societies in all ‘cultural areas’ across Canada including ecological, economic and social relations as well as spiritual aspects; and 2) the disentanglement of First Nations, Inuit and Metis issues from majority discourse – be it social, political or scientific – in order to critically engage with the representation of Native societies over time and the historical formulation of government policy. Issues to be covered will include land rights, urbanization, politics and creative industries. At the end of this course, the student will have a firm knowledge of the fundamental issues that inform and shape contemporary Native issues, have gained an understanding of the historical and archaeological context of Native societies in Canada and be able to confidently extrapolate on related political and social matters.

ANTH498: Special Topics: International Indigenism

ANTH311: European Anthropological Theories

ANTH601: World Anthropologies

.

Back to COURSES main page