Seeing Like a Community: Education, Citizenship, and Social Change in the Eastern Arctic by Sheena Kennedy Dalseg A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario © 2018, Sheena Kennedy Dalseg Abstract Relying heavily on the analyses of Inuit, this dissertation examines the implications of the historical and contemporary set of Inuit-state relations in one policy area – education – over a long period of time. It undertakes this examination by analyzing the local state and societal responses to the introduction of political, social and economic institutions that were imported from southern Canada and imposed on the Inuit societies of the Eastern Arctic. It is well known that formal schooling was used as a key instrument of colonial intervention and oppression in the Eastern Arctic, and that the legacies of this intervention continue to effect communities today. At the same time, education is often identified as an essential component of Inuit self-determination. Despite 50 years of increased political control by Inuit over education, including the creation of a “made-in- Nunavut” education system, educational outcomes have not improved dramatically, Inuit continue to call for greater local control, and the school is still seen by many to be a foreign institution. This dissertation argues that the persistent problems with the school system are symptoms of a deeper disconnect between citizens and the institutions that structure their daily lives. Building on Scott (1998) it argues that the enduring focus on the issue of local control over the education system in Nunavut is evidence of an implicit recognition by Inuit of the importance of intermediary social institutions for successful institution- and state-building. This dissertation uses qualitative methods and a multi-scalar analysis that moves between federal and territorial politics and policy on education, and a detailed micro- level examination of Igloolik society in order to explore and understand the nuances and lived-experiences of the people – the citizens – who were (and remain) directly affected by political and policy decisions made elsewhere. These experiences and lessons from Igloolik then inform an analysis of contemporary attempts by the Government of Nunavut to institute a system of education to meet the aspirations for Nunavut. ii Acknowledgements This dissertation would not have been possible without the participation and support of many people. First and foremost, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the people of Igloolik for welcoming me into their community many times over the last ten years. I am especially grateful to those who agreed to share their stories and their knowledge with me. I acknowledge that the analysis that appears in this dissertation is one person’s attempt to make sense of a complex history of which she was not a part. Its value comes from the confidence people extended to me in sharing their stories, and their insights about their lives and the place that they call home. In particular I would like to thank Francis Piugattuk for his passion for education, his guidance, and his trust in me. Francis’ contributions to this dissertation cannot be measured. I hope this is not our last project together. I also want to acknowledge Rachel Qitsualik, who knew exactly what to say so I could understand what she was trying to tell me. I am grateful to Brian Fleming and everyone at the Hamlet of Igloolik for always welcoming me into your space. There are a number of Igloolik-miut who made important contributions to this dissertation who have sadly passed away. I will always remember them and their generosity: Ruby Irngaut, Lucassi Ivalu, Leah Otak, and Elijah Evaluardjuk. As anyone who has completed a PhD knows, the journey to the end can be long and lonely. I feel very fortunate to have had the support of so many friends, family, and colleagues who have housed, fed, and encouraged me over the last seven years. In Igloolik, I am especially grateful to Alina, Nancy, Levy, John and Carolyn, Patricia, Larissa, and Maren. Spending time in Igloolik and experiencing the beautiful land that Iglulingmiut call home has been one of the great joys of my life. Thank you also to Jen, Colin and Amelia, Jeff and Alexis, Jerry, Robin, and Annie in Ottawa for sharing their homes and friendship with me. And thank you to Jill for loving my boy and helping me through the final months of writing. My doctoral work has been interwoven with a collaborative partnership and friendship with Josh Gladstone, who co-founded Northern Public Affairs with me and Jerry Sabin in 2011. I am proud of what we have accomplished together through the magazine and look forward to what lies ahead. Thank you for your solidarity. Thank you to my supervisor, Frances Abele, and committee members Phil Ryan and Graeme Auld who have been a constant source of intellectual inspiration and personal and professional support for nearly a decade. And thank you to Saul Schwartz for putting students first, always. I am also grateful to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Northern Science Trust, the Northern Science Training Program, and to Carleton University for supporting my research and professional development. Finally, I want to express deep gratitude to my parents who have always invested in our education, both formal and informal, and who have always given my brother and I the space and resources to choose and pursue our own passions. To my beautiful Nana, Maryalice, thank you for encouraging us all to look for the beauty of things and to face our challenges with grace. Thank you, also, to my extended family, including my in-laws iii and the Lawrence Park crew, for cheering me on and most importantly for making me laugh! I dedicate this dissertation to my son, Lachlan, whose very existence brings me immeasurable joy and clarity of purpose. And to my husband, Chris, whose love and support have enriched my life and made this long journey possible. iv Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. v List of Tables .................................................................................................................... xi List of Figures .................................................................................................................. xii List of Appendices .......................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1: Introduction and Key Concepts .................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Schooling in the Eastern Arctic as an Aspect of High Modernism ................................ 4 1.3 Contemporary Community-School Relations in Igloolik ............................................... 7 1.4 The Ebb and Flow of Local Control and Parental Engagement in Education ................ 9 1.5 Overview of Approach to Research .............................................................................. 11 1.6 Literature Review ......................................................................................................... 13 1.6.1 Overview of the Literature on Northern Political and Institutional Development .. 15 1.6.2 Inuit Education Literature ........................................................................................ 17 1.6.3 Studies of Social Change .......................................................................................... 19 1.6.4 “We are still here”: A note about social suffering .................................................. 20 1.6.5 Conceptualizing Colonialism in the Eastern Arctic ................................................. 22 1.6.6 Settler Colonialism? ................................................................................................. 24 1.7 High Modernism, Two Planes, and the Case for Intermediary Social Institutions ...... 27 1.7.1 The Endogenous or Antecedent Plane ..................................................................... 31 1.7.2 The Exogenous, or Imposed Plane ........................................................................... 35 1.7.3 There’s something about the school... ...................................................................... 36 v 1.8 Dissertation Structure and Chapter Outline .................................................................. 38 1.8.1 Chapter Outline ........................................................................................................ 39 Chapter 2: Methodology and Research Design ........................................................... 44 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 44 2.2 Methodological Approach ............................................................................................ 44 2.2.1 Why Igloolik? ..........................................................................................................