For this assignment, you will compile a short outline of a particular question or challenge that is relevant to your field of practice (or your desired field of practice related to your program of study). You can pick a topic from the list provided by the instructor or pick your own topic. You will be expected to include the context for the topic and to articulate the relevance of your question or challenge: why do you want to put a spotlight on this particular topic, what makes it relevant and important to explore? What are some key research-based resources you want to draw on?
The paper should be no more than 500 – 750 words following the latest APA conventions. Make sure to include relevant sources in your paper – and do not limit yourself to previous course readings. A minimum of 5 sources is expected.
*** My personal input on my topic i’d like to explore: The broadness of this topic is rather large due to the historical policies and practices like residential schools, Indian Act, The Doctrine of Discovery, all designed to assimilate and erase Indigenous culture and identity; and contemporary issues like systemic discrimination, the crisis of MMIWG, the stagnant movement with the TRC, the interpretation of TRC between the government(s) and Indigenous people, laws and policies that disadvantage Indigenous people, and systemic racism, and barriers. It is both historical and contemporary injustices Indigenous peoples face that highlight the ongoing impacts of various genocidal impacts and practices on Indigenous peoples/ communities.
Through studying the various roles of government and institutions. my goal is to understand mechanisms and motivations behind policies that are destructive today, an historically on Indigenous people. My goal is to prioritize the voices and experiences of Indigenous peoples to provide a nuanced and empathetic perspective regarding the impact of these forms of injustices. Additionally, I would like to address efforts towards TRC, evaluate the effectiveness of current policies and initiatives aimed at “uplifting, healing, and supporting” our Indigenous communities.
in essence, issues i’d want to explore are the historical policies and practices by understanding how these assimilative tactics were designed to eradicate Indigenous people and their identities, while looking into issues in today- like the MMIWG crisis, and explore other forms of institutionalized racism/ marginalization. I would like to look at government and institutions, and how these may perpetuate genocidal policies and practices, the impacts of these on Indigenous communities, and highlight the current efforts aimed at reconciliation- to determine whether there is truly reconciliation, or if it’s just lip service.
My goal of this project is to highlight the legacy and continuation of genocidal policies and their pervasive effects on Indigenous populations, hindering their ability to thrive and maintain Indigenous sovereignty. Id like to bring to light these issues, and create a discourse on justice, healing, and policy reform.
A question I have in mind that may help address this is:
How have historical and contemporary policies and practices in Canada contribute(d) to the genocide of Indigenous peoples, and what are the ongoing impacts on indigenous communities today? *********
