Indigenous Governance

Undergraduate Studies :

Faculty of Human and Social Development : Indigenous Governance

Indigenous Governance

Program Philosophy

Undergraduate Courses

Master’s of Arts in Indigenous Governance

Web site: <www.uvic.ca/hsd/igov/>

Faculty and Staff

Jeff Corntassel, BA (UC, Irvine), MA, PhD (Arizona), Associate Professor and Director

Taiaiake Alfred, BA (Concordia), MA, PhD (Cornell), Professor

Devi Mucina, BA (Victoria), MA (Victoria), PhD (OISE), Assistant Professor

Visiting, Adjunct and Cross-listed Appointments

Hokulani K. Aikau, BS (Utah), MA (Memphis), PhD (Minnesota), Adjunct Professor

Brad Coombes, BA & PhD (Otago), Adjunct Professor

Noelani Goodyear-Ka’ōpua, BA (Hawai'i), PhD (California, Santa Cruz), Adjunct Professor

Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark, BA (Minnesota), MA, PhD (Minnesota), Assistant Professor, Cross-listed

Lisa Monchalin, BS and MA, (Eastern Michagan), PhD, (Ottawa), Adjunct Professor

Noenoe K. Silva, BA, MLIS & PhD (Hawai'i), Adjunct Professor

Lisa Strelein, BComm & LL.B (Murdoch Australia), PhD (Australian National), Adjunct Professor

James Tully, BA (British Columbia), PhD (Cambridge), Distinguished Professor Emeritus

Local Advisory Council

Cheryl Bryce, Songhees First Nation;

Myrna Crossley-Elliott, Songhees First Nation;

Dave Dennis, Huu-Ay-Aht First Nation;

Marianne Nicolson, Dzawada'enuxw Tribe of the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nations;

Sioliya (June Quipp), Cheam First Nation;

Temosen (Charles W. Elliott), Tsartlip First Nation.

Administrative Staff

Melvin Peters, BSW (Calgary) MSW (Carleton) Academic Administrative Officer

Marla Sampson, Program Assistant and Graduate Secretary

Program Philosophy

Indigenous Governance is committed to teaching and research that respects both western and Indigenous traditions, methods and forms of knowledge. Through these programs, students will gain an understanding of the philosophical, administrative, and political dimensions involved in governing Indigenous communities, as well as a background in the theory, methods and tools appropriate for and useful to research among Indigenous people. The program aspires to educate students who are grounded in a diverse body of knowledge to assume leadership and policy-making roles, or to continue their academic careers in a variety of fields.

Undergraduate Courses

Indigenous Governance offers a number of undergraduate courses for students who wish to gain a stronger understanding of governance in the context of Indigenous theory and practice. Courses challenge student to look at alternative forms of governance and leadership outside the structures and processes of colonization.

IGOV 381	Indigenous Leadership and Governance
IGOV 382	Indigenous Resurgence
IGOV 383	The Indigenous-State Relationship
IGOV 384	Special Issues in Indigenous Governance
IGOV 400	Indigenous Research Methods

Master’s of Arts in Indigenous Governance

The Master of Arts in Indigenous Governance is an interdisciplinary program that provides students with a strong foundation of basic and applied scholarly research and a path to understanding government and politics among Indigenous peoples, with a special emphasis on the nature and context of Indigenous governments in Canada. For more information on the MA in Indigenous Governance, please see the UVic Graduate Calendar.