Indigenous History

What is it to be Indigenous? Is indigeneity a contemporary political formation, the product of centuries of colonial and imperial incursions into the lands of others? Is it an aboriginal, autochthonous presence that has existed from ancient time, with a continuity based on both survival and self-possession? Or something else entirely? While many first peoples prefer culturally specific identities over the general term indigenous, others embrace Indigeneity as an opportunity to establish global connections, explore overlapping colonialisms, assert political identities, or seek redress through international institutions such as the United Nations. The study of indigenous history, therefore, presents both opportunities and challenges. Drawing from the Americas, the Pacific, the Arctic, Asia and elsewhere, courses on indigenous history consider settler colonialism, genocide, slavery and survivance, representational politics, and a range of common challenges such as language loss, climate change, and reconciliation. As you explore these topics, you will encounter a range of source material: colonial archives and oral histories, political tracts and legal cases, autobiographies, protest movements, and more.