autumn 2016
IND-3025 Introduction to Indigenous Studies - 10 ECTS

Application deadline

Applicants from Nordic countries: 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester. Exchange students and Fulbright students: 1 October for the spring semester and 15 April for the autumn semester.

Type of course

The course is mandatory in The Master's Programme in Indigenous Studies (MIS) and open to master students in social sciences, humanities and law.

Admission requirements

9371

Course content

The course offers an introduction to indigenous studies. It takes as a starting point the university¿s location in Arctic Sápmi, and introduces indigenous studies from a comparative global perspective. In addition, the course addresses the emergence and spread of the international indigenous movement and society.

The course starts with an overview and a thematic conceptualization of the study field. The lectures introduce indigenous peoples' diverse realities and historical experiences from a comparative perspective.  They also introduce different ways of doing indigenous research, theoretically and methodologically. The multidisciplinary basis of the programme is reflected in the course. 

An exercise in practical methods is required coursework. A field school to a Sami community is offered at the beginning of the course.


Objectives of the course

Students who successfully complete the course should have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

to have a broad understanding of the historical and contemporary situation of  indigenous peoples globally;

to be aware of the general history of the international indigenous movement;

to use multidisciplinary approaches to analyze issues pertaining to the indigenous world.

Skills

to be able to compare the challenges and achievements of indigenous peoples in different historical and contemporary contexts;

to analyse and deal critically with different concepts of indigeneity

to have an overview of current theories and methods in the field of indigenous studies.

Competence

to apply basic knowledge in research on indigenous issues;

to engage in critical discussions on  relevant academic literature within the fields of humanities and social sciences


Language of instruction and examination

English

Teaching methods

The course is offered in the first semester of the Master's Programme in Indigenous Studies. The teaching combines lectures and seminars. The learning outcomes are achieved through active student participation.  

Assessment

Early in the semester the students are expected to participate in a practical method exercise and to submit an individual paper of max. 600 words based on this exercise. The paper must be accepted before submission for the final examination. A minimum of 75% attendance of lectures and seminars is mandatory.

In the final examination, the students are to submit an individual paper of max. 3.500 words (approx. 10-15 pages). Grades are awarded according to a grading scale from A to F, where F is fail.

A re-sit exam will be arranged for this course.


Recommended reading/syllabus

Required readings/syllabus

Andersen, Chis. (2009): Critical Indigenous Studies. From Difference to Density (pp. 80-100). In Cultural Studies Review 15: 2 (20 p.) ISSN 1837-8692.

Barume, albert K. 2009: Responding to the concerns of the African states (pp. 170-182). In Claire Charters and Rodolfo Stavenhagen (eds.): Making the Declaration Work. The United Nations Declaration the Rights of Indigenous Peoples . Copenhagen 2009 - Document No. 127. (13 p.). ISBN: 978-87-91563-61-4

Clifford, James (2013). Returns. Becoming Indigenous in the Twenty-first Century (pp. 50-67). Hardvard University Press. Ch 2. (18 p.). ISBN 978-0-674-72492-1

Dahl, Jens 2009: The Concept of Indigenous Peoples. (pp. 148-157) In IWGIA a history. Copenhagen 2009. Document No. 125. (8 p.) ISBN: 978-87-91563-52-2

Dahl, Jens 2012: Indigenous Space and Marginalized People in UN, Introduction & ch. 1.(pp. 1-31) (31 p.) ISBN 978-1-137-28053

Denzin, N.K. and Y. Lincoln, (2008). Introduction. Critical Methodologies and Indigenous Inquiry. (pp. 1-20). In N.K. Denzin, Y.S. Lincoln and L. T. Smith (eds.): Handbook of Critical and Indigenous Methodologies. Los Angeles: Sage. (20 p.). ISBN 978-1-4129-1803-9

Green, Joyce 2007: "Taking account of aboriginal feminism". (pp. 20-31). In Joyce Green (ed.): Making Space for Indigenous Feminism. Nova Scotia: Fernwood Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-84277-929-3 (13 p.). ISBN: 978-1-84277-929-3

Hall, Thomas D. & James V. Fenelon 2008: "Indigenous movements and globalization: What is different? What is the same?" (pp. 1-11.)Globalizations, 5:1. DOI: 10.1080/14747730701574478 (10 p.). ISSN 1474-7731

Kendrick, Justin and Jerome Lewis 2004: "Indigenous peoples' rights and the politics of the term 'indigenous'". (pp. 4-9). Anthropology Today, vol. 20 no. 2:4-. (6 p.). ISSN: 1467 - 8322

Minde, Henry 2005. Assimilation of the Sami. Implementation and Consequences. (pp. 6-33). Gáldu Cála, Journal of Indigenous Peoples Rights No. 3/2005 (20 p.). ISSN:0800-3831

Nakata, M. (2006). Australian Indigenous Studies: A Question of Discipline. (pp. 265-275). In The Australian Journal of anthropology 17: 3. (10 p.) DOI: 10.1111/j.1835-9310.2006.tb00064.x

Ngai, Phyllis, Unn-Doris Bæck and Gry Paulgaard 2015. Indigenous Education in the Norwegian and US Contexts. (pp. 78-119). In Kathryn Shanley and Bjørg Evjen (eds.): Mapping Indigenous Presence: North Scandinavian and North American Perspectives. The University of Arizona Press. (20 p.) ISBN: 9780816531523

Roy, chandra K. 2009: Indigenous Peoples in Asia: Rights and Development challenges. (216-231). In Claire Charters and Rodolfo Stavenhagen (eds.): Making the Declaration Work. The United Nations Declaration the Rights of Indigenous Peoples . Copenhagen 2009 - Document No. 127. (16 p.) ISBN: 978-87-91563-61-4

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (15 p). http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS en. pdf

Åhren, Mattias (2016): Indigenous People's Legal Status under Contemporary International Law. (pp. 81-129). In Mattias Åhren: Indigenous People's Status in the International Legal System. Oxford. (p.48.). ISBN: 0191083976, 9780191083976

 

Books to be bought

Sissons, Jeffrey 2005: First Peoples. Indigenous Cultures and their Futures. London, Reaktion Books Ltd. (170p.) ISBN: 9781861895622

Smith, Lind Tuhiwai 2010: Decolonizing Methodologies, Ch. 1-6. London: Zed Books 978-1-84813-950-3. (126p.) ISBN 978-1-85649624-7

 

Recommended readings

Kipuri, Naomi 2009: The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the African context. In Claire Charters and Rodolfo Stavenhagen (eds.): Making the Declaration Work. The United Nations Declaration the Rights of Indigenous Peoples . Copenhagen 2009 - Document No. 127. (11 p.) ISBN:978-87-91563-61-4

International Labour Organizations: Indigenous & Tribal People's Rights in Practice. A Guide to ILO Convention No. 169 (198 p.)

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions. United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (142 p.)

Error rendering component

  • About the course
  • Campus: Tromsø |
  • ECTS: 10
  • Course code: IND-3025
  • Tidligere år og semester for dette emnet