Høst 2018

IND-3025 Introduction to Indigenous Studies - 10 stp

The course is administrated by

Senter for samiske studier

Type of course

The course is mandatory in The Master's Programme in Indigenous Studies (MIS). It can also be taken as a singular course by students from other programs.

Course contents

The course offers an introduction to indigenous studies. It takes as a starting point the university's location in Arctic Sapmi, 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.

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.

Admission requirements

Application code: 9371

Objective 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

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 of the final exam. A minimum of 75% attendance of lectures and seminars is mandatory.

The final examination is a take-home exam, where 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

The reading list will be subject to revision.

Required readings/syllabus

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. http://www.internationalfunders.org/documents/MakingtheDeclarationWork.pdf

Dahl, Jens 2012: Indigenous Space and Marginalized People in UN, ch. 1. (20 p.) ISBN 978-1-137-28053-4

Costa, R. de 2016: States' Definitions of Indigenous Peoples: A Survey of Practices. In M. Berg-Nordlie, J. Saglie and A. Sullivan (eds): Indigenous Politics. Institutions, representation, mobilisation. ECPR studies. (35 p.) Paperback ISBN 978-1-765522-35-2

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., Nakata V., Keech, S. & Bolt, R. (2012). Decolonial goals and pedagogies for Indigenous studies. In Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, vol. 1, no. 1, 2012, (pp. 120-140).

Olsen, T. 2017. Privilege, decentring and the challenge of being (non-) Indigenous in the study of Indigenous issues. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education (First View). Doi: 10.1017/jie.2017/16.

Roy, Chandra K. 2009: Indigenous Peoples in Asia: Rights and Development Challenges. 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 http://www.internationalfunders.org/documents/MakingtheDeclarationWork.pdf

Papillon, M. 2016: Making Space for Indigenous Governments: Comparing Patterns of Institutional Adaptation in Canada and the United States. In M. Berg-Nordlie, J. Saglie and A. Sullivan (eds): Indigenous Politics. Institutions, representation, mobilisation. ECPR studies. (16 p.) Paperback ISBN 978-1-765522-35-2

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

Smith, Linda Tuhiwai 2010: Decolonizing Methodologies, London: Zed Books 978-1-84813-950-3. (240 p.) ISBN 978-1-85649-624-7

Sullivan, A. 2016: Maori Representation and Participation in National and Local Governments Politics. In M. Berg-Nordlie, J. Saglie and A. Sullivan (eds): Indigenous Politics. Institutions, representation, mobilisation. ECPR studies. (19 p.) Paperback ISBN 978-1-765522-35-2

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

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 http://www.internationalfunders.org/documents/MakingtheDeclarationWork.pdf

International Labour Organization: Indigenous & Tribal Peoples' Rights in Practice. A Guide to the ILO Convention No. 169 (198 p.) http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_norm/@normes/documents/publication/wcms_106474.pdf

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.) http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/IPeoples/UNDRIPManualForNHRIs.pdf