Child Welfare, Food Security and Land Rights: Indigenous Research presented in Vancouver

VANCOUVER, June 3, 2019  — Child welfare, food security and land rights are among the topics being discussed this week as the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences gets underway at the University of British Columbia. Canada’s largest academic gathering, Congress brings 8,000 of the country’s brightest researchers, thinkers, and policy-makers to Vancouver from June 1-7.

Over 5,000 pieces of research are being presented on a wide range of topics. Some of the topics related to Indigenous affairs and reconciliation include:

• Transforming the Relationship Between the Canadian Military and Indigenous People: Evidence From the Traditional and Social Media
  
  The perceptions that the military would not be welcoming to them keeps more Indigenous people from joining. Researchers analyzed social media posts by officials at the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces on Indigenous issues to determine how they connected with the public on key issues.
  
  June 6 — 8:45 - 10:15 am

• Ensuring Food Security in Remote Indigenous Communities
  
  This project focuses on enhancing communities’ self-reliance on sustainable, nutritious, and organic foods, while ensuring sustainable access to water and energy. The work seeks to ensure that these communities are resilient against impacts of climate change.
  
  June 6 — 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

• No Surrender: The Land Remains Indigenous — Recent Treaty Historiography in Support of Indigenous Rights
  
  Many historians argue that treaty negotiations suffered from misunderstandings between commissioners and Indigenous chiefs, but new evidence shows that the government had a strategic plan to deceive Indigenous people, and that therefore the land remains Indigenous.
  
  June 4 — 1:30 - 3:00 pm

• Inuit Mothers’ Recommendations for Culturally Relevant Child Welfare: Countering Qallunaat Misunderstandings
  
  Many now understand the need for Indigenous communities to be more involved in child welfare. In Nunavut, there are a number of things hampering this… specifically, white people. Research with Inuit mothers highlights the need for a decolonized approach to child welfare.
  
  June 6 — 10:30 am - 12:30 pm

• Educational Aspirations and Residential School Legacy Among Canada's Indigenous Population
  
  Are the attitudes and aspirations of Indigenous people still tainted by the awful legacy of residential schools? Data from Statistic’s Canada’s 2012 Aboriginal People Survey indicate that those who have direct relatives that attended residential schools are significantly less like to have higher education aspirations. This finding is discussed in the context of the reasons for the relationship, and the policy implications that extend from its persistence.
  
  June 4 — 3:30 - 5:00 pm

Congress is an annual gathering of over 70 scholarly associations, each holding their annual conference under one umbrella. This year’s theme is “Circles of Conversation,” reflecting  the need for dialogue, debate, and dissent within and across disciplines.

Congress is organized by the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, which promotes research and teaching for the advancement of an inclusive, democratic and prosperous society. With a membership now comprising over 160 universities, colleges and scholarly associations, the Federation represents a diverse community of 91,000 researchers and graduate students across Canada. Congress 2019 is hosted by The University of British Columbia.

More information about the Federation and Congress 2019 is available online through their website, Twitter and Facebook.

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For interview requests

Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Nicola Katz

Manager of Communications

nkatz@ideas-idees.ca

Cell: 613-282-3489

 

University of British Columbia

Erik Rolfsen

Media Relations Specialist

erik.rolfsen@ubc.ca

Cell: 604-209-3048