Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2026 - INDG 101 D900

Introduction to Indigenous Studies (3)

Class Number: 3756

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 7, 2026: Thu, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Surrey

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Introduces the nature and goals of Indigenous Studies as an academic discipline that emphasizes cultures and homelands of First Peoples. Students with credit for FNST 101 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.

COURSE DETAILS:

Indigenous Studies 101 is an introductory course that provides students with a foundational understanding of Indigenous cultures, histories, and contemporary issues. Students will learn about the diversity of Indigenous Nations and languages, social and political organization, legal traditions, relationships with the land, oral traditions, and aesthetic expressions. Students will foster a more critical analytical perspective as they become familiar with Indigenous critiques of Western civilization and the colonizing process shared by Indigenous philosophers, scholars and leaders.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

  1. Explain and critique settler colonialism, its history, and its ongoing impacts on the places you live, work, and play.
  2. Define how Indigenous rights are recognized in Canadian law and list landmark Supreme Court of Canada cases that uphold those rights.
  3. Recognize how the term “Indian” has been constructed as a legal racial category in Canadian law and explain the processes by which the Canadian state attempts to extinguish this category of people.
  4. Critically assess dominant colonial perspectives through consideration of Indigenous worldviews and theories of knowledge.
  5. Annotate assigned texts identifying central claims, assumptions, and evidence.
  6. Take organized, accurate, and meaningful notes that can be effectively used for review, research, and writing.
  7. Engage in collaborative group work that recognizes and values diverse perspectives.
  8. Demonstrate the ways that differences in social position, power, and privilege shape how you understand and engage with the world.
  9. Recognize and honour domains of learning that transcend self-interest.
  10. Exhibit how to be an effective ally and recognize the role of non-Indigenous Peoples in promoting equity and justice.

Grading

  • Attendance/Participation 35%
  • Positionality Statement 10%
  • Land Acknowledgement 5%
  • Exams (2 x 25%) 50%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

All class readings/viewing will be available online, via Canvas, or through the SFU Library. 


Department Undergraduate Notes:

Health and Well-Being Supports for Indigenous Studies students
The Indigenous Student Centre has various different supports available to students to ensure their health and well-being.  Please visit their website to see what is available: https://www.sfu.ca/students/indigenous/wellness.html. 

NOTE re AI
Please note that submissions that employ generative AI tools in this course (for idea generation or other purposes) are not accepted by the Department. Your grade in this course is meant to reflect your personal engagement with course materials. If you are ever unsure about your instructor's stance on generative AI, please be sure to ask before submitting work using these tools: "If you are unsure, you must not assume that using generative AI is permitted." - SFU Academic Integrity
Those who employ these tools in their course submissions may face disciplinary action in accordance with SFU's academic integrity policies. https://www.sfu.ca/students/enrolment-services/academic-integrity/using-generative-ai.html

COPYRIGHT
Materials included in this course, unless otherwise stated, have been created by the Instructor, and reproducing or using this material outside of this course is not permitted unless written consent has been provided by the owner of this material. The course-based Canvas page and its related resources are maintained and developed by the Instructor for the use of the students registered to take this course. Course materials such as PowerPoint slides, lecture notes, the lecture itself and exams are all protected by copyright. Recording, copying or sharing these materials without permission may be a violation of Canadian copyright law and SFU policies. What does this mean? It means that you are legally not permitted to circulate the course materials to any other entity without explicit permission from the course author.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.