The University of Manitoba

THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES

Course Outline

Regular Session: 2010

GENERAL INFORMATION Department: Native Studies Course: NATV 7230 A01 CRN: 10911

Course Title: Methodology and Research Issues in Native Studies

Time: Mondays 2:30 to 5:25 Room: 128 St John’s

Term: Fall Location: 128 St. John's

Instructor: Dr. Chris Trott

Office: 227 St. John's Telephone: 474-8101 e-mail: [email protected]

Office Hours: MWF 10:30 to 11:30 or by appointment.

COURSE INFORMATION

Course Description

Classical social scientific research methods have proved to be disempowering for Aboriginal communities. This course will examine carefully what constitutes Aboriginal epistemologies (ways of knowing) and consider how these can create different kinds of research methods that may be more appropriate for working with Aboriginal communities. The major paper for this course will provide the foundation for the methods section of your research proposal and ultimately your thesis.

Textbooks

Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Decolonizing Methodologies. Zed. Emma LaRocque, When the Other is Me. University of Manitoba Press Shawn Wilson (2008), Research is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods. Halifax: Fernwood Books. Neal McLeod, Cree Narrative Memory. Purich. Wilson, Waziyatawin Angela, Remember This! Dakota Decolonization and the Eli Taylor Narratives. University of Nebraska Press. E. Richard Atleo, Tsawalk. UBC Press. Alison Brown and Laura Peers, “Pictures Bring Us Messages”. UTP. Renate Eigenbrod and Renee Hulan (eds.) (2008), Aboriginal Oral Traditions: theory, practice, ethics. Halifax: Fernwood Books.

Evaluation “Decolonizing Methodologies” Paper 10 “Positionality” Paper 10 “Aims and Objectives” Paper 10 Class Presentation 15 Respondant 10 Major Paper 45 TOTAL 100

Assignments 1) “Decolonizing Methodologies” Paper - the text by Linda Smith, Decolonizing Methodologies, will form the theme text for all our considerations this term. This paper will prepare you for the class discussion on September 20. Each student should write a 6 to 8 page paper, based on the arguments in Smith's text, on how they plan to apply this to their own research. Define both colonialism and decolonization and suggest how will you decolonize your own research methods.

2) “Positionality and Voice” Paper - one of the key issues in Native Studies is the place of the researcher in relationship to the people and topic under study. For this paper read Emma LaRocque, When the Other is Me and examine how she places herself within the text and in relationship to the material under analysis. Note that this is not merely autobiographical, but that Dr. Larocque moves back and forth between her own experience and some powerful theoretical considerations. This paper will be the first draft of your attempt to position yourself in your thesis. Again, it is not autobiographical but theoretically motivated. This paper should be about 8 pages long and is due in the third class, September 27.

3) “Aims and Objectives” Paper - in the first class, we will work together to outline a thesis statement and objectives for each student. In this paper, you will take the results of that discussion and write it into the first draft of the opening for your research proposal. You should begin with a “catchy” introduction to grab the reader's attention and include why you think this is an important topic for research and what you plan to contribute to knowledge through this work. This paper should be 5 to 7 pages long, and should include proper reference formats. The paper is due at the fourth class, October 4.

4) Class Presentation - while each student is expected to read all the material for each class, one student will prepare a presentation that will critically evaluate and compare the various assigned readings and lead the class discussion. The schedule of presentations and presenters is as follows:

Sept. 27 LaRocque, When the Other is Me: ______Respondant: ______

Oct 4 Wilson, Research is Ceremony: ______Respondant: ______

Oct. 18: Moosa-Mitha, “Situating Anti-oppressive Theories”: ______Respondant: ______Oct. 25: Wilson, Remember This! ______Respondant: ______

Nov. 01: Atleo, Tsawalk: ______Respondant: ______

Nov. 08: McLeod: Cree Narrative Memory: ______Respondant: ______

Nov. 15: Brown and Peers, “Pictures” ______Respondant: ______

Nov. 22: Interviewing Articles ______Respondant: ______

Nov. 29: Eigenbrod and Hulan (eds.), Aboriginal Oral Traditions: ______Respondant: ______

5) Respondant – In addition to the text that each student will present in class, everyone must also choose a second text. For this text prepare a 6 to 8 page paper (to be handed in at the end of the class) critically evaluating the material in the text. During the class on that text, this student will present the ideas in their paper that complement/oppose the main presenter in the class, contributing to the dialogue and discussion around the text.

6) Major Paper - On December 13, 2010 each student will submit a 25 page paper that will incorporate a revised version of their “Aims and Objectives” and “Positionality” papers - the revisions based on what you have concluded from the course materials. This will constitute about the first 5 pages of your paper. The remaining 15 pages will be your first attempt to write the methods section of you research proposal/thesis. Initially, outline your general approach to method and what are some of the underlying principles that you wish to express through your methods. For each of your objectives you must specify a method or methods through which you will achieve that objective, justify why this method is appropriate in this context, outline some of the difficulties you might expect to encounter with this method and how you propose to deal with those difficulties, and consider any ethical issues that might arise as a result of your methods. You must, of course, appropriately reference any sources you are using in your discussion.

Course Outline, Readings and Assignments 13 Sept. Course Objectives and Introduction Working out Themes, Theses, and Objectives together.

20 Sept. Theme Text - Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Decolonizing Methodologies. “DECOLONIZING METHODOLOGIES” PAPER DUE

27 Sept Positionality and Voice Emma LaRocque, When the Other is Me. University of Manitoba Press “POSITIONALITY” PAPER DUE 04 Oct. Aims and Objects Shawn Wilson (2008), Research is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods. Halifax: Fernwood Books. “AIMS AND OBJECTIVES” PAPER DUE

11 OCTOBER THANKSGIVING – NO CLASS

18 Oct. Critical Epistemologies - Moosa-Mitha, Mehmoona. (2005). “Situating Anti-oppressive Theories within Critical and Difference-Centered Perspectives”. In Leslie Brown and Susan Strega (eds.), Research as Resistance. (pp. 37-73).

25 Oct. Aboriginal Epistemologies Wilson, Waziyatawin Angela, Remember This! Dakota Decolonization and the Eli Taylor Narratives. University of Nebraska Press.

01 Nov. Aboriginal epistemologies case study - E. Richard Atleo, Tsawalk.

08 Nov. Aboriginal epistemologies case study - Neal McLeod, Cree Narrative Memory.

15 Nov. Applying Aboriginal epistemologies to our research - Alison Brown and Laura Peers, “Pictures Bring Us Messages”.

17 NOV. LAST DAY FOR VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL. YOU WILL HAVE GRADED ASSIGNMENTS PRIOR TO THIS DATE.

22 Nov. Interviewing and Participant Observation - Kublu, A.; Laugrand, F.; Oosten, J. (1999), “Interviewing the Elders”. In F. Laugrand and J. Oosten (eds.), Interviewing Inuit Elders, Vol. 1, Iqaluit: Nunavut Arctic College, pp. 1-12. - Guédon, M.-F. (1994), “Dene Ways and the Ethnographer's Culture”. In D. E. Young and J.-G. Goulet, Being Changed by Cross Cultural Encounters: the anthropology of extraordinary experience (Peterborough: Broadview Press), pp. 39-70. - Oakley, A. (1981), “Interviewing women: a contradiction in terms.” In H. Roberts (ed.), Doing Feminist Research. (London: Routledge), pp. 30-61.

29 Nov. Working with oral texts Renate Eigenbrod and Renee Hulan (eds.) (2008), Aboriginal Oral Traditions: theory, practice, ethics. Halifax: Fernwood Books.

06 Dec.Ethics - Piquemal, N. (2001). Free and Informed Consent in Research Involving Native American Communities. American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 25, 65-79.

13 Dec. FINAL MAJOR PAPER DUE The Grade Distribution for this course is as follows:

A+ Exceptional 90-100 A Excellent 80-89 B+ Very Good 77-79 B Good 70-76 C+ Satisfactory 67-69 C Adequate 60-66 D Marginal 50-59 F Inadequate 0-49

Attendance: Class attendance is compulsory. Students with excessive inexcusable absences may be subject to debarment.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism or any other form of cheating in examinations, term tests or academic work is subject to serious academic penalty (e.g. suspension or expulsion from the faculty or university). Cheating in examinations or tests may take the form of copying from another student or bringing unauthorized materials into the exam room (e.g., crib notes, pagers or cell phones). Exam cheating can also include exam impersonation. A student found guilty of contributing to cheating in examinations or term assignments is also subject to serious academic penalty.

To plagiarize is to take ideas or words of another person and pass them off as one's own. In short, it is stealing something intangible rather than an object. Plagiarism applies to any written work, in traditional or electronic format, as well as orally or verbally presented work. Obviously it is not necessary to state the source of well known or easily verifiable facts, but students are expected to appropriately acknowledge the sources of ideas and expressions they use in their written work, whether quoted directly or paraphrased. This applies to diagrams, statistical tables and the like, as well as to written material, and materials or information from Internet sources.

To provide adequate and correct documentation is not only an indication of academic honesty but is also a courtesy which enables the reader to consult these sources with ease. Failure to provide appropirate citations constitutes plagiarism. It will also be considered plagiarism and/or cheating if a student submits a term paper written in whole or in part by someone other than him/herself, or copies the answer or answers of another student in any test, examination, or take-home assignment.

Working with other students on assignments, laboratory work, take-home tests, or on-line tests, when this is not permitted by the instructor, can constitute Inappropirate Collaboration and may be subject to penalty under the Student Discipline By-Law.

An assignment which is prepared and submitted for one course should not be used for a different course. This is called "duplicate submission" and represents a form of cheating because course requirements are expected to be fulfilled through original work for each course.

When in doubt about any practice, ask your professor or instructor.

(http://webapps.cc.umanitoba.ca/calendar06/regulations/plagiarism.asp)

Appeals of Term Work: Term work grades may be appealed up to ten working days after the grades are made available to students. Please refer to pages 31-33 of the U of M General Calendar for additional information. Complaints: Generally a complaint by a student should be dealt with between the Professor and the student. If this cannot be done either party should go to the Department Head. Please refer to the Native Studies Department Policy on Student Complaints available in the Native Studies General Office.