Indigenous Epistemologies and their Disruptions
Ethnic
Studies 270
Spring 2014
Tuesday 1:30AM – 4:30PM, SSB 103
Ross
Frank
Office: SSB 227
Phone: 534-6646
rfrank@weber.ucsd.edu
Additional course materials available on TED.
Course Description
This seminar will explore indigenous epistemologies, their ontological dimensions, the methodological issues surrounding related research, and their significance in relation to the production of knowledge and the histories, presents, and futures of Native American and Indigenous people. The purpose of this course is to help equip participants to investigate the larger empirical and theoretical implications of alternative systems of knowledge that emerge from global indigeneity. For the most part, we follow the research of current Native American/Indigenous scholars.
Successful consideration of the dimensions, complexities, and significance of this topic depend on the engaged, imaginative, and generous, participation in all seminar activities. Students are encouraged to bring their interests, knowledge, experience, and other interpretive materials to the seminar. Accordingly, course evaluation will be based upon the nature and quality of your participation, in oral and written forms equally. Weekly assignments will involve presentations and leading class discussions, as well as written analyses that will be shared with the other seminar participants.
Seminar Texts:
Byrd, Jodi A. The Transit of Empire: Indigenous Critiques of Colonialism. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2011.
Dennison, Jean. Colonial Entanglement
Constituting a Twenty-First-Century Osage Nation. Chapel Hill:
University of North Carolina Press, 2012.
Restricted to UCSD
email login
http://www.ucsd.eblib.com/EBLWeb/patron/?target=patron&extendedid=P_1035010_0
Erdrich, Louise. The Round House. The Round House. New York, NY: Harper, 2012.
Goeman, Mishuana. Mark My Words : Native Women Mapping Our Nations. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2013.
Lonetree, Amy. Decolonizing Museums
Representing Native America in National and Tribal Museums. 2012. First peoples : new directions in indigenous studies.
Restricted to UCSD
email login
http://www.ucsd.eblib.com/EBLWeb/patron/?target=patron&extendedid=P_1076066_0
Lyons, Scott Richard. X-Marks Native Signatures
of Assent. Minneapolis:
University of Minnesota Press, 2010.
Restricted to UCSD
email login
http://uclibs.org/PID/170306>.
Miller, Robert J. Reservation
"Capitalism" Economic Development in Indian Country. 2012. Native America : yesterday and today.
Restricted to UCSD
email login
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ucsd/docDetail.action?docID=10545294
Morgensen, Scott Lauria. Spaces between Us : Queer Settler Colonialism and Indigenous Decolonization. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2011.
Tallbear, Kimberly. Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promise of Genetic Science. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2013.
All articles are available on TED.
Organization:
Weekly seminar assignments:
1. Discussion: attendance and active participation in the group discussions of the reading during the seminar meetings.
2. Response: beginning Week 2, each week you are not presenting, post a 600-900 word (2-3 page) response to the weekÕs reading to the TED blog by 8PM Monday evening. Read the posted responses after 8PM Monday evening;
3. Presentation: co-lead two seminar discussions during the quarter;
4. Synthesis: write two 4-5 page papers each covering the assigned reading for a week in which you presented. Synthesis papers are due at the beginning of class the week after your presentation and allow you to include reflection on the seminar discussion and previous readings.
Guidelines for Response Papers and Seminar Presentations
For each weekÕs reading, your response or synthesis should focus on:
¥ Identify and assess the Indigenous epistemological components present in the monograph.
¥ In weeks where articles are assigned as well, use them to a critically evaluate the important concepts and themes in the reading for that week.
¥ Pay attention to theoretical and methodological choice and innovation. Are they connected to an Indigenous epistemological stance? How do they function within other academic discourses?
¥ Consider how might they current weekÕs reading relate to or otherwise illuminate previous readings.
WEEK ONE: April 1 Setting the Table
Wolfe, Patrick. ÒSettler Colonialism and the Elimination of the Native,Ó in Journal of Genocide Research. 8:4
(2006): 387-409.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14623520601056240
Coulthard, Glen S. "Subjects of Empire: Indigenous Peoples and the 'Politics of Recognition' in Canada." Contemporary Political Theory. 6:4 (2007): 437-460.
Tuck, Eve. "Suspending Damage: A Letter to Communities." Harvard Educational
Review 79:3 (Fall 2009):
409-28.
http://www.metapress.com/content/n0016675661t3n15/fulltext.pdf
Tuck, Eve, and K. Wayne Yang. ÒDecolonization Is Not a Metaphor.Ó Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society 1:1 (2012): 1-40. http://decolonization.org/index.php/des/article/view/18630.
WEEK TWO: April 8 Centering Indigeneity
Byrd, Jodi A. The Transit of Empire: Indigenous Critiques of Colonialism. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2011.
WEEK THREE: April 15 Promise of Sovereignty
Dennison, Jean. Colonial Entanglement
Constituting a Twenty-First-Century Osage Nation. Chapel Hill:
University of North Carolina Press, 2012.
Restricted to UCSD
email login
http://www.ucsd.eblib.com/EBLWeb/patron/?target=patron&extendedid=P_1035010_0
Simpson, Audra, ÒOn Ethnographic Refusal: Indigeneity, ÔVoice,Õ and Colonial Citizenship.Ó Junctures 9 (2007): 67-80.
WEEK FOUR: April 22 Capital on Native Land
Miller, Robert J. Reservation
"Capitalism:" Economic Development in Indian Country. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2012.
Restricted to UCSD
email login
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ucsd/docDetail.action?docID=10545294
Connolly Miskwish, Michael . ÒEquity and Fairness Taxation and Regulatory Impediments to Tribal Governance In San Diego County,Ó Beyond Casinos: Indian Sovereignty in the 21st Century Conference, November 13, 2001, San Diego, California, 1-19.
Connolly Miskwish, Michael . ÒCapturing the Full Benefit of On-Reservation Renewable Energy ,Ò American Bar Association: Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources: Native American Resources Committee Newsletter 7:2 (2010):1-4
WEEK FIVE: April 29 The ColonizerÕs House
Lonetree, Amy. Decolonizing Museums:
Representing Native America in National and Tribal Museums. Chapel Hill:
University of North Carolina Press, 2012.
Restricted to UCSD
email login
http://www.ucsd.eblib.com/EBLWeb/patron/?target=patron&extendedid=P_1076066_0
Cese–a, Mar’a Teresa. ÒHemispheric Visions and Border Divisions: Differential Decolonizations at the US National Museum of the American Indian.Ó Comparative American Studies 11:2 (2013):201–219.
WEEK SIX: May 6 The Matter of Place
Goeman, Mishuana. Mark My Words: Native Women Mapping Our Nations. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2013.
Coulthard, Glen. ÒPlace against Empire: Understanding Indigenous Anti-Colonialism,Ó in Affinities: A Journal of Radical Theory, Culture, and Action, 4.2 (2010): 79-83.
WEEK SEVEN: May 13 (Critical) Literary Interlude
Erdrich, Louise. The Round House. New York, NY: Harper, 2012.
WEEK EIGHT: May 20 De/Colonial Biopolitics
Morgensen, Scott Lauria. Spaces between Us: Queer Settler Colonialism and Indigenous Decolonization. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2011.
Smith, Andrea. ÒQueer Theory and Native Studies: The Heteronormativity of Settler Colonialism,Ó in GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies 16:1-2 (2010):42-68.
WEEK NINE: May 27 Indigenous Identities
Jacob, Michelle M. Yakima Rising: Indigenous Cultural Revitalization, Activism, and Healing. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2014.
Lyons, Scott Richard. X-Marks Native Signatures of Assent. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2010. Chapters 1 and 4, available:Tsosie, Rebecca. ÒIndigenous Peoples and Epistemic Injustice: Science, Ethics, and Human Rights,Ó in Washington Law Review 87:1133-1201
WEEK TEN: June 3 Telling Origin Stories
Tallbear, Kimberly. Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promise of Genetic Science. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2013.