Indigenous Studies Courses

INDG 101 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies (3)

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.

INDG 102 - Indigenous Academic Research (4)

Using Indigenous-authored texts and films as sources, INDG 102 will focus on contemporary Indigenous topics and concerns, introducing students to multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary courses of study. Students with credit for EAS 110 and FASS 110 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 110W - International Indigenous Lifewriting (4)

Exploration of Indigenous forms of research and inquiry (ie. genealogies, oral story-telling, autobiographies). Examine and explore life stories of Indigenous authors from around the world. Students with credit for FNST 110W may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.

INDG 111 - Introduction to Participatory Indigenous Research Methods (3)

Chronologically analyses the use of photography to research Indigenous peoples from the 19th Century anthropological methods to contemporary participatory action methods. Highlights how Indigenous peoples are adapting research methods to benefit and empower their communities. Students with credit for FNST 111 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 201W - Indigenous Peoples' Perspectives on History (3)

An examination of fact and ideology in history and historic events involving contact between Indigenous and European peoples. The course will also address questions of research methodologies in studying Indigenous/European relations, such as the evaluation of oral history and written ethnohistoric sources. An additional focus will be on gender as it influences perspectives. Students with credit for FNST 201W may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Breadth-Social Sci.

INDG 210 - Introduction to Indigenous Digital Media (3)

Introduces students to the emerging fields of new media and the digital humanities from an Indigenous Studies perspective. Students will learn new ways to share, represent and access Indigenous content and knowledges founded on respectful, ethical approaches to Indigenous digital media that is mindful of Indigenous community protocols. Prerequisite: or Corequisite: INDG 101 or INDG 201W. Students who took FNST 222-Special Topics in Spring 2019 (1191) with Dr. Maddie Knickerbocker or INDG 222-Special Topics in Fall 2020 (1207) with Dr. Kathryn Shield (both courses titled Introduction to Indigenous Digital Media) cannot take INDG 210 for further credit.

INDG 211 - Researching Residential Schools: An Analysis of RS in North America (3)

Responding to TRC Calls to Action, this course provides a global and interdisciplinary examination of methodology and the ongoing impacts of colonial education on Indigenous peoples. The majority of the course is a comparative analysis of the Residential School system with an emphasis of the contexts in Canada and the United States.

INDG 212 - Indigenous Perceptions of Landscape (3)

Indigenous peoples of North America possess perceptions of landscape rooted in their long history with the land. Using methods and theories designed for anthropology, archaeology, land and resource management planning and geography will bring a multi-disciplinary approach to this study of cultural landscapes. Prerequisite: INDG (or FNST) 101 or 201W. Students with credit for FNST 212 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 222 - Selected Topics in Indigenous Studies (3)

Topics will vary from term to term depending on faculty availability and student interest where the body of work may not otherwise be covered in-depth in regular courses. Prerequisite: Vary according to topic. Consult course outline on prerequisite(s) of each topic offering.

INDG 232 - Introduction to Ethnoecology in Indigenous Studies (3)

Through the interdisciplinary lens of ethnoecology, this course is an exploration of ongoing, hard-earned and reciprocal relationships between people and their environment. This course considers the cultural underpinnings of perception and interaction with landscape and ecologies - as one way to appreciate issues of sustainability and diversity in a global context. Prerequisite: INDG (or FNST) 101 or 201W. Students with credit for FNST 232 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 250 - Introduction to Indigenous Policy (3)

Introduces students to federal and provincial state policies impacting the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples both historically and contemporarily. Prerequisite: INDG 101. Students with credit for INDG (or FNST) 222 under the title "Introduction to Public Policy" may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 286 - Indigenous Peoples and British Columbia: An Introduction (3)

Study of Indigenous peoples of BC and effects of historical and political processes on their livelihoods and homelands. Overview of indigeneity and connection to urbanization. Examines linguistic diversity and endangered state of BC First Nations languages; Indigenous ethnography; land rights movement; traditional cultural practices/beliefs; and social, educational and economic disparity. Prerequisite: Recommended: INDG 101. Students with credit for FNST 286 or SA 286 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 301 - Issues in Applied Indigenous Studies Research (3)

Involves a survey and examination of method, theory and related topics associated with contemporary Indigenous Studies research in applied contexts. Ethical conduct and protocols for working within First Nations communities are reviewed. Prerequisite: INDG (or FNST) 101 or 201W. Students with credit for FNST 301 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 305 - Treaties in Canada (1)

Introduces students to the historical and contemporary contexts of treaty relations between settlers and the First Peoples of Turtle Island. Provides critical insight into the various treaties within Canada; treaty negotiations, including Indigenous oral histories; Indigenous resistance to treaty infringements; and other important legislation impacting treaty rights.

INDG 310 - Indigenous Film (3)

Misrepresentations of Indigenous peoples are a staple of non-Indigenous film and television. This course provides students with the tools to analyze how Indigenous filmmakers are counteracting stereotypes and colonial narratives by creating their own visual content. Prerequisite: INDG 101. Students with credit for INDG (or FNST) 322 under the title "Indigenous Film" or "Indigenous Film and Resurgence" may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 322 - Special Topics in Indigenous Studies

Variable units: 3, 4, 5. Prerequisite: Will vary according to the topic.

INDG 325 - History of Aboriginal Peoples of North America to 1850 (4)

Examines selected themes in the history of Aboriginal peoples of North America from first contact with Europeans to the mid-nineteenth century. Prerequisite: 45 units including INDG (or FNST) 101 or 201W. Students with credit for FNST 325 or HIST 325 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 326 - History of Aboriginal Peoples of North America Since 1850 (4)

Examines selected themes in the history of Aboriginal peoples of North America in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Prerequisite: 45 units including INDG (or FNST) 101 or 201W. Students with credit for FNST 326 or HIST 326 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 327 - Indigenous Women in Canada (4)

Themes and issues relating to the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous women in Canada: Indigenous theories of gender; evolution and political function of stereotypes of Indigenous women in Canada; history of Canadian legislation regulating Indigenous identity; relevance of feminist analysis; and history of activism. Prerequisite: INDG (or FNST) 101 or INDG (or FNST) 201W. Students who have taken INDG (or FNST) 322 under this topic may not take this course for further credit. INDG (or FNST) 327 and GSWS 327 (or WS 327) are identical and students may not take both courses for credit.

INDG 329 - Sexuality and Gender: Indigenous Perspectives (3)

Examines written works on sexuality and gender including the history of representations of the sexualized savage; the discussion of Indigenous concepts of gender, including discussions of two-spirit versus gay identity; homophobia and sexual violence as tools of colonization; the emancipatory potential of erotica. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students with credit for FNST 329 or INDG (or FNST) 322 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 332 - Indigenous Ethnobotany (3)

This course is an introduction to the study of plant knowledge and use by Indigenous peoples. It provides students with information about the role of plants in Indigenous cultures including such areas as foods, medicines, technology, ceremony, ecological indicators, and within Indigenous knowledge and classification systems. Special focus may be placed on the ethnobotany of one or more Indigenous groups or culture areas. Prerequisite: INDG (or FNST) 101 or INDG (or FNST) 201W. Students with credit for FNST 332 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Science.

INDG 333 - Indigenous Ethnozoology (3)

This course explores the unique relationship that Indigenous peoples of North America have with animals. It examines how they named, classified, used and managed animals and compares this to western science. Prerequisite: Either INDG (or FNST) 101 or 201W. Students with credit for INDG (or FNST) 222 under this topic may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 353W - Indigenous Heritage Stewardship (3)

Examines issues that arise when Aboriginal people must balance economic development and cultural integrity. Topics include self-reflexive internalist research, ethics and best practices in representing Indigenous heritage, public laws and land claim agreements affecting heritage, the exhumation and repatriation of human remains and religious freedom and access to sacred sites and objects. Prerequisite: 45 units or permission of the instructor. Students who have taken INDG (or FNST) 322 previously under this topic may not take this course for further credit. Students with credit for FNST 353W may not take this course for further credit. Writing.

INDG 360 - Popular Writing by Indigenous Authors (4)

Examines works of popular fiction by Indigenous authors and their use of specific genres (e.g. the mystery novel, vampire thriller, sci fi, comic book). Prerequisite: 45 units. Students with credit for ENGL 360, INDG (or FNST) 322 under this topic, or FNST 360 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 363 - Indigenous Poetry, Poetics, Printmaking (4)

A studio course. Review, analysis, and understanding of Indigenous poetry and poetics of the Americas including samples from oral traditions, ethnography, song poems, and the contemporary published record. Practice of low-tech printing such as relief, cut/engraving, stencil, monotype, and/or multiple colour technique to make multiple images, in direct democratic action. Prerequisite: 45 units and permission of instructor; no previous artistic training and/or experience are required. Students with credit for FNST 363 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 383 - Indigenous Technology: Art and Sustainability (4)

Examines various art forms and aesthetic expressions of select Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Reviews techniques and protocols for the gathering and preparation of materials and the use of ethnographic materials, and provides learning through hands-on practice. Prerequisite: 45 units and permission of instructor; no previous artistic training and/or experience is required. Students with credit for INDG (or FNST) 322 under the topic 'Indigenous Expressive Arts' with a focus in crafts may not take this course for further credit. Students with credit for FNST 383 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 401 - Indigenous Peoples and Public Policy (3)

An examination of Indigenous peoples' perspectives on political, social and legal issues involving their rights as first citizens of Canada and North America, and the practical and political relations with various levels of government. Issues examined include: Indigenous rights and title, self government models and concepts, constitutional matters, the impact of federal government policies, including their impact on women's lives, and Indigenous communities and politics. Prerequisite: INDG (or FNST) 101 or 201W. Recommended: POL 221. Students with credit for FNST 401 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 402W - Discourses of Indigenous Peoples (3)

Style and content of Indigenous people's discourse about their culture, world view, history and matters affecting their lives. Includes the analysis of selections from Indigenous oral literature, autobiography, expository writing, modern poetry and fiction. Prerequisite: 60 units and one of INDG (or FNST) 101 or INDG (or FNST) 201W. Students with credit for INDG (or FNST) 402 or FNST 402W may not take this course for further credit. Writing.

INDG 403 - Indigenous Knowledge in the Modern World (3)

This course explores the subject of traditional Indigenous knowledge and its contemporary implications for Indigenous programs in such areas as economic development, ecotourism, spiritualism, language retention, biodiversity, ethnoscience, environmentalism, and heritage conservation. Indigenous perspectives on patents, copyrights, and other creative products from traditional culture will also be examined through lecture, guest speakers and seminar presentation. Prerequisite: INDG (or FNST) 101 or INDG (or FNST) 201W. Students with credit for FNST 403 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 410 - Elements of Indigenous Style: Indigenous Editing Practices (4)

Introduces basic editorial principles fashioned by an understanding of Indigenous practices and protocols to demonstrate how Indigenous people's ways of being, worldviews, and life experiences play into editorial decision-making. Students will develop an informed and case-by-case approach of their own by critically applying principles learned from Indigenous storytellers themselves. Prerequisite: or Corequisite: INDG 101 or 201W. Students with credit for PUB 410 or PUB 480 under the title "Indigenous Editing" offered in Spring 2022 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 419 - Aboriginal/Indigenous Justice (3)

An in-depth examination of Aboriginal/Indigenous conceptions of justice in dealing with crime and other trouble in Indigenous communities, and in relations among peoples. Prerequisite: INDG (or FNST) 101 or 201W, or CRIM 101, or permission of the instructor. Students with credit for CRIM 416, CRIM 418, CRIM 419, or FNST 419 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 422 - Special Topics in Indigenous Studies

Special Topics in Indigenous Studies. Students may repeat this course for further credit under a different topic. Variable units: 3, 4, 5. Prerequisite: Will vary according to the topic.

INDG 429 - Indigenous Peoples and International Law (3)

An examination of how relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples framed and were framed by the development of international law from the 15th century onward. Prerequisite: INDG (or FNST) 101 or 201W, or CRIM 101, or permission of instructor. Students with credit for FNST 429, CRIM 429, or under CRIM 416 or 418 under the title "Indigenous Peoples and International Law" or "Indigenous Peoples and Evolving International Relations" may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 433 - Indigenous Environmental Justice and Activism (4)

Examines contemporary writings regarding Indigenous environmental logic and environmental concerns of contemporary times. Studies effects of resource extraction upon Indigenous nations, globalization, genetic modifications, health, intellectual property, spiritual beliefs, culture and society, art and language and compares these with specific Indigenous logic at the time of contact. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students with credit for FNST 433 may not take this course for further credit.

INDG 442 - Directed Readings in Indigenous Studies (3)

Directed readings for upper level students in Indigenous studies who wish to study selected topics in depth. Variable units: 2, 3, 4, 5. Prerequisite: 15 units in Indigenous (or First Nations) studies. Corequisite: Permission of an instructor and department.

INDG 443W - Aboriginal Peoples, History and the Law (4)

Traces the development of legal doctrine pertaining to Aboriginal peoples in Canada and the United States, including its shared roots in British colonial law and policy. Prerequisite: 45 units including INDG (or FNST) 101, 201W and one other INDG (or FNST) course; or permission of the instructor. Students with credit for FNST 443W, HIST 443, or HIST 485 or HIST 486 under this topic may not take this course for further credit. Writing.

INDG 447 - Directed Studies in Indigenous Studies (3)

Directed study for upper level students in a topic chosen in consultation with a supervisor. Explore Indigenous topics through research. Variable units: 2, 3, 4, 5. Prerequisite: 15 units of INDG (or FNST) courses; permission of an instructor and department approval. Corequisite: Varies depending on topic.

INDG 462 - Indigenous Oral Testimony: Theory, Practice, Purpose, Community (4)

Examines protocol, theory, responsibility, issues of domain (including inherent rights) involving traditional oral testimony, storytelling, oral narrative in an Aboriginal/Nation-centric canon. Compares Aboriginal canon 'oral record' to Aboriginal individual first-person accounts. Prerequisite: 60 units including INDG (or FNST) 101 or INDG (or FNST) 201W and permission of the instructor. Students with credit for FNST 462 may not take this course for further credit.