A Relational Approach Towards Decolonizing Curriculum Development within the Colonial Postsecondary Institution

Authors

  • Andrea Daley School of Social Work, Renison University College, University of Waterloo
  • Hannah Neufeld School of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo
  • Kelly Skinner
  • Trish Van Katwyk
  • Mary Lou Smoke
  • Dan Smoke

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15402/esj.v10i1.70836

Keywords:

Indigenous wellbeing, decolonizing pedagogy, Indigenizing curriculum, public health, social work

Abstract

The Canadian academy is dominated by Western epistemologies that devalue Indigenous ways of knowing and marginalize Indigenous communities, cultures, and histories (Louie et al., 2017). This paper draws on a cross-disciplinary, interprofessional collaboration between a School of Public Health Sciences and School of Social Work to develop an online graduate course that sought to advance knowledge and practice in Indigenous wellbeing and health through a social justice lens. We explore key considerations, strategies, and challenges undertaken by an interdisciplinary group of non-Indigenous professors to create a learning experience for students that challenges colonial ways of seeing, being, knowing, and doing in the professional practice fields of public health and social work and that serves to elevate and sustain Indigenous voices, knowledges, sciences, and practices within the academy. In doing so, we centre the process of course development, including working with an Indigenous Advisory Circle and Indigenous contributors of content, guest lecture videos, and artwork. The paper describes the creation of a relational teaching and learning community, while raising concerns about the institutionalization of this approach to Indigenous-focused course development in the absence of the structural changes needed to enhance the presence of Indigenous faculty and Elders in academic institutions. 

Author Biographies

Andrea Daley, School of Social Work, Renison University College, University of Waterloo

a Professor at the School of Social Work, Renison University College, University of Waterloo. She identifies as a queer/lesbian white settler. She has published on social justice issues, including those impacting sexual and gender minority communities with a focus on access to equitable and good quality health care; lesbian/queer women’s experiences of psychiatric services; and gender, sexuality, race, and class and the interpretative nature of psychiatric chart documentation as it relates to psychiatric narratives of distress. Email: andrea.daley@uwaterloo.ca 

Hannah Neufeld, School of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo

is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health Sciences at University of Waterloo, and holds a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Health, Wellbeing and Food Environments. Her research focus for the past 20 years has been on incorporating community-based research methodologies to continually engage and support Indigenous project partners, community members, and trainees to investigate food as a medium to bridge environments and share land-based knowledge. 

Kelly Skinner

is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. She identifies as a white settler born in Northwestern Ontario. She sees herself as a non-Indigenous scholar-ally and makes considerable effort to follow Dr. Lynn Gehl’s Ally Bill of Responsibilities through critical reflection as an academic, awareness of her own privilege, and understanding of oppressive power structures. Her research portfolio has two arms: health and social projects related to food, nutrition, food security, health and risk communication, and the broader context of northern and urban Indigenous food systems, policies, and environments; and evaluation of health-related programs and community-led initiatives 

Trish Van Katwyk

is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Renison University College, University of Waterloo. A major focus of her work is exploring the ways in which community immersion and artistic expression can activate healthy communities and many important ways of knowing. For the past 8 years, she as worked closely with members of the Six Nations of the Grand River, engaging in land- and water-based exploration of the Two Row Wampum Belt. 

Mary Lou Smoke

is Ojibway Nation - Bear Clan, from Batchawana on Lake Superior. With her husband, Dan Smoke, they provide support and cultural teachings throughout many communities, including a number of universities, including Western University and Brescia University. In addition, they are long time hosts of Smoke Signal Radio. 

Dan Smoke

is a member of the Seneca Nation - Kildare Clan from the Six Nations Grand River Territory. With his wife, Mary Lou Smoke, they provide support and cultural teachings throughout many communities, including a number of universities, including Western University and Brescia University. In addition, they are long time hosts of Smoke Signal Radio. 

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Published

2024-04-26

How to Cite

Daley, A., Neufeld, H., Skinner, K., Van Katwyk, T., Smoke, M. L., & Smoke, D. (2024). A Relational Approach Towards Decolonizing Curriculum Development within the Colonial Postsecondary Institution. Engaged Scholar Journal: Community-Engaged Research, Teaching, and Learning, 10(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.15402/esj.v10i1.70836

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2024): Regular/Non-Thematic

Section

Essays

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Copyright (c) 2024 Andrea Daley, Hannah Neufeld, Kelly Skinner, Trish Van Katwyk, Mary Lou Smoke, Dan Smoke

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