Academic publishers have distanced themselves largely from the production of conference proceedin... more Academic publishers have distanced themselves largely from the production of conference proceedings and Festschrifts because of the shortcomings characteristic of these volumes. The former are often unfocused thematically, featuring, as they do, the diverse contributions from several conference sessions. Both types of anthology may be uneven in quality, featuring the work of both neophytes and seasoned researchers side by side. And both run the risk of becoming dated upon release, because of the logistical issues associated with editing the work of several different authors that must be resolved before publication. However, these works also contain nuggets of gold that might be lost without careful reading, and Aboriginal Canada Revisited is no exception. This anthology comprises the conference proceedings from the third Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Symposium entitled ‘Aboriginal Peoples in Canada in the 21st Century,’ which was held in April 2005 at the University of Greifswalf, Germany. The conference theme, as the title suggests, focuses on continuity and change. More specifically, the anthology sets out to address the following questions: How much has the status of Aboriginal peoples within the nation and their relation to mainstream Canada changed? How much have Aboriginal people been able to decolonize Canadian institutions and public discourses? What has been achieved on the way toward emancipation of Aboriginal Canada? The volume serves a second, but no less important, purpose, in that its publication is also intended to honour the career of German scholar Helmut Lutz, an internationally known pioneer in Aboriginal cultural studies and literary criticism. While the questions themselves suggest a certain bias to the volume from the outset, portions of Kerstin Knopf’s introductory chapter might appear to confirm the view that social and economic conditions in ‘Aboriginal Canada’ have progressed very little over the last few decades. Despite the availability of more recent (and more positive) statistical data as cited in her bibliography, the editor chooses to emphasize figures cited from the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996), which present a depressing and dated snapshot of life. Fortunately the essays that follow provide much clearer, if sometimes uneven, snapshots of the situation. The contributions have been divided into five sections: ‘Health, Social Issues, and Politics,’ ‘Education,’ ‘Imagining and Imaging the “Indian,”‘ ‘Literature,’ and ‘Print Media and humanities 553
"These twelve essays constitute a ground-breaking volume of new work prepared by... more "These twelve essays constitute a ground-breaking volume of new work prepared by leading scholars in the fields of history, anthropology, constitutional law, political science, and sociology, who identify the many facets of what it means to be Métis in Canada today. After the Powley decision in 2003, Métis people were no longer conceptually limited to the historical boundaries of the fur trade in Canada. Key ideas explored in this collection include identity, rights, and issues of governance, politics, and economics. The book will be of great interest to scholars in political science and native studies, the legal community, public administrators, government policy advisors, and people seeking to better understand the Métis past and present. Contributors: Christopher Adams, Gloria Jane Bell, Glen Campbell, Gregg Dahl, Janique Dubois, Tom Flanagan, Liam J. Haggarty, Laura-Lee Kearns, Darren O’Toole, Jeremy Patzer, Ian Peach, Siomonn P Pulla and Kelly L. Saunders."
Over the past year, several excellent new publications focused on the histories of mixed-race Fre... more Over the past year, several excellent new publications focused on the histories of mixed-race French-Canadian communities in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Of these books, Jean Barman’s French Canadians, Furs and Indigenous Women in the Making of the Pacific Northwest merits special attention, because the author has successfully sought out, and integrated, vernacular voices as historical sources. And for this reason, Jean Barman is sometimes referred to as a “vernacular,” or grassroots historian. What is vernacular history? Is this genre a product of methodology or of one’s worldview? And can a vernacular approach to history help scholars navigate the increasingly politicised environment of indigenous studies? The author reflects on these questions, by sharing some of her personal experiences with Jean Barman that illustrate the complexity of the issues surrounding indigenous historical practice today.
Academic publishers have distanced themselves largely from the production of conference proceedin... more Academic publishers have distanced themselves largely from the production of conference proceedings and Festschrifts because of the shortcomings characteristic of these volumes. The former are often unfocused thematically, featuring, as they do, the diverse contributions from several conference sessions. Both types of anthology may be uneven in quality, featuring the work of both neophytes and seasoned researchers side by side. And both run the risk of becoming dated upon release, because of the logistical issues associated with editing the work of several different authors that must be resolved before publication. However, these works also contain nuggets of gold that might be lost without careful reading, and Aboriginal Canada Revisited is no exception. This anthology comprises the conference proceedings from the third Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Symposium entitled ‘Aboriginal Peoples in Canada in the 21st Century,’ which was held in April 2005 at the University of Greifswalf, Germany. The conference theme, as the title suggests, focuses on continuity and change. More specifically, the anthology sets out to address the following questions: How much has the status of Aboriginal peoples within the nation and their relation to mainstream Canada changed? How much have Aboriginal people been able to decolonize Canadian institutions and public discourses? What has been achieved on the way toward emancipation of Aboriginal Canada? The volume serves a second, but no less important, purpose, in that its publication is also intended to honour the career of German scholar Helmut Lutz, an internationally known pioneer in Aboriginal cultural studies and literary criticism. While the questions themselves suggest a certain bias to the volume from the outset, portions of Kerstin Knopf’s introductory chapter might appear to confirm the view that social and economic conditions in ‘Aboriginal Canada’ have progressed very little over the last few decades. Despite the availability of more recent (and more positive) statistical data as cited in her bibliography, the editor chooses to emphasize figures cited from the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996), which present a depressing and dated snapshot of life. Fortunately the essays that follow provide much clearer, if sometimes uneven, snapshots of the situation. The contributions have been divided into five sections: ‘Health, Social Issues, and Politics,’ ‘Education,’ ‘Imagining and Imaging the “Indian,”‘ ‘Literature,’ and ‘Print Media and humanities 553
"These twelve essays constitute a ground-breaking volume of new work prepared by... more "These twelve essays constitute a ground-breaking volume of new work prepared by leading scholars in the fields of history, anthropology, constitutional law, political science, and sociology, who identify the many facets of what it means to be Métis in Canada today. After the Powley decision in 2003, Métis people were no longer conceptually limited to the historical boundaries of the fur trade in Canada. Key ideas explored in this collection include identity, rights, and issues of governance, politics, and economics. The book will be of great interest to scholars in political science and native studies, the legal community, public administrators, government policy advisors, and people seeking to better understand the Métis past and present. Contributors: Christopher Adams, Gloria Jane Bell, Glen Campbell, Gregg Dahl, Janique Dubois, Tom Flanagan, Liam J. Haggarty, Laura-Lee Kearns, Darren O’Toole, Jeremy Patzer, Ian Peach, Siomonn P Pulla and Kelly L. Saunders."
Over the past year, several excellent new publications focused on the histories of mixed-race Fre... more Over the past year, several excellent new publications focused on the histories of mixed-race French-Canadian communities in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Of these books, Jean Barman’s French Canadians, Furs and Indigenous Women in the Making of the Pacific Northwest merits special attention, because the author has successfully sought out, and integrated, vernacular voices as historical sources. And for this reason, Jean Barman is sometimes referred to as a “vernacular,” or grassroots historian. What is vernacular history? Is this genre a product of methodology or of one’s worldview? And can a vernacular approach to history help scholars navigate the increasingly politicised environment of indigenous studies? The author reflects on these questions, by sharing some of her personal experiences with Jean Barman that illustrate the complexity of the issues surrounding indigenous historical practice today.
Uploads
Papers by Heather Devine