Carleton’s Board of Governors (BoG) recently voted to rename the School of Canadian Studies to the School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies. The decision—supported by staff and faculty—was made at the Board’s June 28 meeting, following a staff and faculty initiative to change the school’s name.
Canadian and Indigenous studies is a Bachelor of Arts program which provides a broad range of courses investigating Canadian and Indigenous identity, history, and contemporary national events. The school promotes an interdisciplinary approach to studying Canada and its people, as practiced by its faculty, which teaches courses on gender and politics, cultural history, anthropology and Indigenous governance.
Previously, the school only offered Indigenous studies as a minor with several classes specializing in Aboriginal perspectives, art, and representation. Kahente Horn-Miller, an assistant professor at the school, said she instructs using her experience as an academic researcher and member of the Kahnawake Mohawk community. She was also a staunch supporter of the movement to rename the school.
Horn-Miller said she has advocated for inclusive dialogues between Canadian academic circles and Indigenous societies in order to bridge these groups together in both research settings and society at large.
“We have a responsibility to use our knowledge and good minds to help make a future where our communities are strong and self-determined,” she said.
The name change has been welcomed by students who have experienced the Indigenous studies classes first-hand.
Ashley Courchene, current Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) vice-president (student services) and former Aboriginal Service Centre administrator, spoke on the differences between his Indigenous studies and political science courses, both of which have dealt with Aboriginal issues.
Courchene said how certain events, which were detrimental to Aboriginal communities, may be implicitly excused for the sake of “popular history.” But Courchene said he is optimistic about the name change as it reflects positively of Carleton.
“Indigenous studies have so far taken a back seat, but this is now changing as we are approaching reconciliation in our society,” Courchene said.
Monique Manatch is beginning a graduate program in the fall semester in Indigenous and Canadian studies at Carleton. She said she was impressed by several of the undergraduate courses on Indigenous culture offered.
Manatch, a member of the Algonquin First Nation, said one course in particular captured the “authenticity” of the Haudenosaunee peoples. She said she believes there should be an increase in courses focusing on regional cultures taught by cultural specialists instead of academic researchers.
Mihaela Vieru is a graduate of the School of Canadian Studies and a contract instructor who has taught Debating Canada, a course which examines how the nature of Canada was influenced by historical discussions of identity.She said she believes the move was long overdue, and while a name-change may begin as a symbolic gesture, it will prove to have a positive impact.
“You cannot subsume Indigenous people under ‘Canadian’ they are distinct nations and they need to be paid that honour,” Vieru said.
