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Responding to the Problem of Trafficking in Aboriginal Women and Girls in Canada Through the Lens of Paul Ricœur’S Ethics of Human Capability and Mutual Recognition

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Responding to the Problem of Trafficking in Aboriginal Women and Girls in Canada Through the Lens of Paul Ricœur’S Ethics of Human Capability and Mutual Recognition Beyond Protection: Responding to the Problem of Trafficking in Aboriginal Women and Girls in Canada through the Lens of Paul Ricœur’s Ethics of Human Capability and Mutual Recognition Sheila M. Smith, RSCJ Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Theology, Saint Paul University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctorate of Philosophy degree in Theology Ottawa, Canada April 22, 2016 © Sheila M. Smith, RSCJ, Ottawa, Canada, 2016 All rights reserved ii To my community, friends and family Table of Contents Introduction: ....................................................................................................................... 1 1 Thesis and Aims of the Dissertation ...................................................................... 1 2 Methodology .......................................................................................................... 4 3 Colonialism: The “Settler Problem” ...................................................................... 5 4 Indigenous – Settler Relations in Canada .............................................................. 6 5 Protection ............................................................................................................... 9 6 Outline of Chapters .............................................................................................. 11 Chapter 1: An Overview of Trafficking in Aboriginal Women and Girls in Canada ...... 16 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 16 1.1 The Global Problem of Trafficking in Persons .......................................................... 19 1.1.1 Definition of Human Trafficking ................................................................ 19 1.1.2 Global Economics and Slavery ................................................................... 22 1.1.3 Relationships of Exploitation ...................................................................... 24 1.2 Human Trafficking in Canada .................................................................................... 27 1.2.1 Canada’s Role and Response ...................................................................... 30 1.2.2 Domestic Trafficking in Canada ................................................................. 33 1.2.3 Trafficking in Aboriginal Women and Girls ............................................... 37 1.2.3.1 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women ................................. 45 1.2.4 Canada’s National Action Plan ................................................................... 45 1.3 Conclusion of Chapter 1............................................................................................. 48 Chapter 2: Examining Questions of Power, Protection, and Mutuality ........................... 52 2 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 52 2.1 Feminist Critique of Anti-Trafficking Work.............................................................. 54 ii 2.1.1 Mapping Feminist Views of Power............................................................. 56 2.1.2 Logic of Masculinist Protection .................................................................. 61 2.2 Mutuality Not Protection ........................................................................................... 66 2.2.1 Mutuality: A View from Feminist Theology .............................................. 69 2.2.1.1 Self-in-Relation ............................................................................ 70 2.2.1.2 Power-With .................................................................................. 73 2.2.1.3 A Formal Norm for Christian Social Ethics ................................. 75 2.3 Mutuality: Christian Praxis ........................................................................................ 77 2.3.1 A Critical View of Mutuality as Liberation ................................................ 80 2.3.2 Deeds of Power ........................................................................................... 82 2.3.3 Third Space ................................................................................................. 84 2.4 Mutuality: Politics of Recognition ............................................................................. 87 2.4.1 Charles Taylor: Politics of Recognition ...................................................... 87 2.4.2 Equal Dignity – Sameness .......................................................................... 88 2.4.3 Authenticity – Difference ............................................................................ 89 2.4.4 Dialogical Identity ....................................................................................... 90 2.4.5 Politics of Recognition: Equal Dignity and Cultural Difference ................ 91 2.5 Glen Coulthard: Indigenous Peoples and Politics of Recognition ............................. 92 2.5.1 Self-Recognition and Political Recognition ................................................ 93 2.5.2 Struggle as Praxis of Self-Recognition ....................................................... 95 2.6 A Working Definition of Mutuality ........................................................................... 98 iii Chapter 3: Paul Ricœur: The Mediated Self as a Foundation for Mutuality ................. 102 3 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 102 3.1 Mutuality .................................................................................................................. 105 3.1.1 Four Elements for a Good Theory of Mutuality ....................................... 106 3.1.2 Why Paul Ricœur? .................................................................................... 107 3.1.2.1 The Dialectical Self .................................................................... 108 3.1.2.2 The Mediated Self: Critical and Transformative ....................... 109 3.1.2.3 Persons-in-Relation: Interdependence and Inter-Independence . 110 3.1.2.4 Power-in-Common ..................................................................... 112 3.1.2.5 Narrative Hermeneutics ............................................................. 114 3.2 Ricœur’s Philosophical Itinerary.............................................................................. 116 3.2.1 Phenomenology: Involuntary/Voluntary Self ........................................... 116 3.2.2 Epistemology: Reflexivity ........................................................................ 117 3.2.3 Ontology: Actual Being ............................................................................ 119 3.3 Interpretation ............................................................................................................ 121 3.3.1 Knowing: Explanation and Understanding ............................................... 121 3.3.2 Being: Experience and Interpretation........................................................ 123 3.3.3 Linguistics: Structure and Meaning .......................................................... 124 3.3.4 Narrative Hermeneutics ............................................................................ 126 3.4 Narrative Theory ...................................................................................................... 128 3.4.1 Event and Meaning ................................................................................... 132 3.4.2 Intended Meaning and Interpretation ........................................................ 133 3.4.3 Meaning and Reference............................................................................. 134 iv 3.4.4 Interpretation and Appropriation .............................................................. 136 3.5 Action Theory .......................................................................................................... 138 3.5.1 Action as Text ........................................................................................... 140 3.5.2 Human Identity.......................................................................................... 142 3.5.3 Narrative Identity ...................................................................................... 143 3.5.3.1 Idem and Ipseity ......................................................................... 145 3.5.3.2 Permanence of the Self............................................................... 146 3.5.3.3 Individual Person and the Social Self ........................................ 148 3.5.4 Ethical Identity .......................................................................................... 150 3.5.5 The Self and Care-Action.......................................................................... 152 3.6 Conclusion of Chapter 3........................................................................................... 154 Chapter 4: Paul Ricœur’s Ethics of Human Capability and Mutual Recognition ......... 159 4 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 159 4.1 Capability ................................................................................................................. 161 4.1.1 The Capability Approach .......................................................................... 162 4.1.2 Ricœur: The Capable Self ......................................................................... 165 4.1.3 Ricœur:
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