Skip to content
1981

Towards Decolonization and Indigenization of Historical Knowledge and Practices at University: A Collaboration Between a History Museum and an Undergraduate History Course

image of Towards Decolonization and Indigenization of Historical Knowledge and Practices at University: A Collaboration Between a History Museum and an Undergraduate History Course

This chapter examines the role a history museum, committed to the process of Indigenisation, can play in the academic training of university students enrolled in a Canadian history course. The qualitative case study addresses the possibilities inherent in an educational partnership between the McCord Stewart Museum and a course in the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada offered at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Primary findings tend to reveal that these collaborations may not only be effective in supporting students' formal learning and historical consciousness but may equally contribute to the enhancement of both teaching practices and museum education. Additionally, the research has set forth the complex and continuous negotiation required to tackle Indigenous perspectives within settlers' ways of doing and assessing. Pedagogically oriented collaborations between the museum and university may engender significant and multidimensional changes in all parties involved and contribute toward a decolonised and Indigenised Quebec society.

Keywords: Canada ; Case study ; Decolonisation ; Historical consciousness ; Historical thinking ; History ; History education ; Indigenisation ; Indigenous peoples ; Museum ; Museum education ; Postsecondary education ; Qualitative research ; Québec ; University

Loading full text...

Full text loading...

Towards Decolonization and Indigenization of Historical Knowledge and Practices at University: A Collaboration Between a History Museum and an Undergraduate History Course
Intellect , 119 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1386/9781789389166_10
/content/books/9781789389166.c09
/content/books/9781789389166.c09
Loading

Data & Media loading...

References

  1. Alfred, T. (2017). It's all about the land. In P. McFarlane & N. Schabus (Eds.), Whose land is it anyway? A manual for decolonization (pp. 10–14). Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Allard, M. , & Boucher, S. (1991). Le musée et l’école. HMH.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Battiste, M. (2013). Decolonizing education: Nourishing the learning spirit. UBC Press and Purich Publishing.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Bélanger, C. , Delfino, L. , & Deveault, M. (2019). Le Musée McCord Stewart un musée ouvert, citoyen et participatif pour aborder les enjeux sociaux du XXIe siècle. OCIM la lettre, 183, 40–45.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Binda, K. P. , & Caillou, S. (Eds.). (2001). Aboriginal education in Canada: A study in decolonization. Canadian Educator's Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Boucher, P. (2019). De la colonisation à l'autochtonisation. Les Autochtones, Aujourd'hui, 24(4), 15–17.130
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Brett, P. , & Guyver, R. (2021). Postcolonial history education: Issues, tensions and opportunities. Historical Encounters, 8(2), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.52289/hej8.210
    [Google Scholar]
  8. CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). (2021, 3 November). Royal B.C. Museum to close exhibits that further colonial narrative. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/royal-bc-museum-decolonization-closing-exhibits-1.6235672
  9. Deloria, V. (2004). Marginal and submarginal. In D. Mihesuah & A. Wilson (Eds.), Indigenizing the academy: Transforming scholarship and empowering communities (pp. 16–30). University of Nebraska Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Desmarais, L. (2019, 6 November). Colonialisme et éléments de décolonisation dans les musées canadiens et québécois. L'esprit libre. https://revuelespritlibre.org/colonialisme-et-elements-de-decolonisation-dans-les-musees-canadiens-et-quebecois
  11. Dion, S. (2009). Braiding histories: Learning from Aboriginal Peoples’ experiences and perspectives. UBC Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Franco, M.-C. (2019). Faire de la recherche en muséologie: Étudier l'histoire des expositions pour comprendre le positionnement du Musée McCord envers les Premiers Peuples. Histoire Québec, 25(3), 35–37.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Gosselin, V. (2011). Historical thinking in the museum: Open to interpretation. In P. Clark (Ed.), New possibilities for the past: Shaping history education in Canada (pp. 245–263). UBC Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Grever, M. , & Adriaansen, R.-J. (2019). Historical consciousness: The enigma of different paradigms. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 51(6), 814–830.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Kermoal, N. , & Gareau, P. (2019). Réflexions sur l'autochtonisation des universités, un cours à la fois. Cahiers franco-canadiens de l'Ouest, 31(1), 71–88. https://doi.org/10.7202/1059126ar
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Lemay, G. (2013–2021). Wearing our identity. The First Peoples collection [Exhibition]. McCord Museum, Montreal, Canada. https://www.musee-mccord.qc.ca/en/exhibitions/wearing-our-identity-the-first-peoples-collection/
  17. Macdonald, S. (2011). Expanding museum studies: An introduction. In S. MacDonald (Ed.), A companion to museum studies (pp. 1–12). John Wiley & Sons.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Marker, M. (2011). Teaching history from an Indigenous perspective: Four winding paths up the mountain. In P. Clark (Ed.), New possibilities for the past: Shaping history education in Canada (pp. 97–112). UBC Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Melançon, J. (2019). L'autochtonisation comme pratique émancipatrice. Les communautés francophones devant l'urgence de la réconciliation. Cahiers franco-canadiens de l'Ouest, 31(1), 43–68.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Mithlo, N. M. (2004). “Red man's burden”: The politics of inclusion in museum settings. The American Indian Quarterly, 28(3/4), 743–763.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Moisan, S. , Warren, J.-P. , Zanazanian, P. , Hirsch, S. , & Maltais-Landry, A. (2020). La pluralité des expériences historiques dans le passé du Québec et du Canada: Points de vue des historiennes et historiens universitaires. Revue d'histoire de l'Amérique française, 74(1–2), 103–127.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Phillips, R. B. (2011). Museum pieces: Toward the Indigenization of Canadian museums. McGill-Queens's University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Rivet, M. (2019, 30 August). De la décolonisation à l'autochtonisation: La route vers l’égalité. ICOM. https://www.icomcanada.org/fr/2019/08/30/de-la-decolonisation-a-lautochtonisation-la-route-vers-legalite/131
  24. Rowinski, J. , & Sears, A. (2021). Unsettled histories: Transgressing history education practice in New Brunswick, Canada. Historical Encounters, 8(2), 107–123. https://doi.org/10.52289/hej8.206
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Savenije, G. M. , van Boxtel, C. , & Grever, M. (2014). Learning about sensitive history: “Heritage” of slavery as a resource. Theory and Research in Social Education, 42(4), 516–547.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Soulier, V. (2015). Analyser la reconnaissance du point de vue autochtone dans une exposition muséale. Éducation et francophonie, 43(1), 97–115. https://doi.org/10.7202/1030183ar
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to action. https://crc-canada.org/en/ressources/calls-to-action-truth-reconciliation-commission-canada/
  28. Tuck, E. , & Yang, W. K. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 1(1), 1–40.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Vergo, P. (Ed.). (1989). The new museology. University of Chicago Press Books.
     [Google Scholar]

References

  1. Alfred, T. (2017). It's all about the land. In P. McFarlane & N. Schabus (Eds.), Whose land is it anyway? A manual for decolonization (pp. 10–14). Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Allard, M. , & Boucher, S. (1991). Le musée et l’école. HMH.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Battiste, M. (2013). Decolonizing education: Nourishing the learning spirit. UBC Press and Purich Publishing.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Bélanger, C. , Delfino, L. , & Deveault, M. (2019). Le Musée McCord Stewart un musée ouvert, citoyen et participatif pour aborder les enjeux sociaux du XXIe siècle. OCIM la lettre, 183, 40–45.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Binda, K. P. , & Caillou, S. (Eds.). (2001). Aboriginal education in Canada: A study in decolonization. Canadian Educator's Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Boucher, P. (2019). De la colonisation à l'autochtonisation. Les Autochtones, Aujourd'hui, 24(4), 15–17.130
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Brett, P. , & Guyver, R. (2021). Postcolonial history education: Issues, tensions and opportunities. Historical Encounters, 8(2), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.52289/hej8.210
    [Google Scholar]
  8. CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). (2021, 3 November). Royal B.C. Museum to close exhibits that further colonial narrative. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/royal-bc-museum-decolonization-closing-exhibits-1.6235672
  9. Deloria, V. (2004). Marginal and submarginal. In D. Mihesuah & A. Wilson (Eds.), Indigenizing the academy: Transforming scholarship and empowering communities (pp. 16–30). University of Nebraska Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Desmarais, L. (2019, 6 November). Colonialisme et éléments de décolonisation dans les musées canadiens et québécois. L'esprit libre. https://revuelespritlibre.org/colonialisme-et-elements-de-decolonisation-dans-les-musees-canadiens-et-quebecois
  11. Dion, S. (2009). Braiding histories: Learning from Aboriginal Peoples’ experiences and perspectives. UBC Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Franco, M.-C. (2019). Faire de la recherche en muséologie: Étudier l'histoire des expositions pour comprendre le positionnement du Musée McCord envers les Premiers Peuples. Histoire Québec, 25(3), 35–37.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Gosselin, V. (2011). Historical thinking in the museum: Open to interpretation. In P. Clark (Ed.), New possibilities for the past: Shaping history education in Canada (pp. 245–263). UBC Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Grever, M. , & Adriaansen, R.-J. (2019). Historical consciousness: The enigma of different paradigms. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 51(6), 814–830.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Kermoal, N. , & Gareau, P. (2019). Réflexions sur l'autochtonisation des universités, un cours à la fois. Cahiers franco-canadiens de l'Ouest, 31(1), 71–88. https://doi.org/10.7202/1059126ar
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Lemay, G. (2013–2021). Wearing our identity. The First Peoples collection [Exhibition]. McCord Museum, Montreal, Canada. https://www.musee-mccord.qc.ca/en/exhibitions/wearing-our-identity-the-first-peoples-collection/
  17. Macdonald, S. (2011). Expanding museum studies: An introduction. In S. MacDonald (Ed.), A companion to museum studies (pp. 1–12). John Wiley & Sons.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Marker, M. (2011). Teaching history from an Indigenous perspective: Four winding paths up the mountain. In P. Clark (Ed.), New possibilities for the past: Shaping history education in Canada (pp. 97–112). UBC Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Melançon, J. (2019). L'autochtonisation comme pratique émancipatrice. Les communautés francophones devant l'urgence de la réconciliation. Cahiers franco-canadiens de l'Ouest, 31(1), 43–68.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Mithlo, N. M. (2004). “Red man's burden”: The politics of inclusion in museum settings. The American Indian Quarterly, 28(3/4), 743–763.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Moisan, S. , Warren, J.-P. , Zanazanian, P. , Hirsch, S. , & Maltais-Landry, A. (2020). La pluralité des expériences historiques dans le passé du Québec et du Canada: Points de vue des historiennes et historiens universitaires. Revue d'histoire de l'Amérique française, 74(1–2), 103–127.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Phillips, R. B. (2011). Museum pieces: Toward the Indigenization of Canadian museums. McGill-Queens's University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Rivet, M. (2019, 30 August). De la décolonisation à l'autochtonisation: La route vers l’égalité. ICOM. https://www.icomcanada.org/fr/2019/08/30/de-la-decolonisation-a-lautochtonisation-la-route-vers-legalite/131
  24. Rowinski, J. , & Sears, A. (2021). Unsettled histories: Transgressing history education practice in New Brunswick, Canada. Historical Encounters, 8(2), 107–123. https://doi.org/10.52289/hej8.206
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Savenije, G. M. , van Boxtel, C. , & Grever, M. (2014). Learning about sensitive history: “Heritage” of slavery as a resource. Theory and Research in Social Education, 42(4), 516–547.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Soulier, V. (2015). Analyser la reconnaissance du point de vue autochtone dans une exposition muséale. Éducation et francophonie, 43(1), 97–115. https://doi.org/10.7202/1030183ar
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to action. https://crc-canada.org/en/ressources/calls-to-action-truth-reconciliation-commission-canada/
  28. Tuck, E. , & Yang, W. K. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 1(1), 1–40.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Vergo, P. (Ed.). (1989). The new museology. University of Chicago Press Books.
     [Google Scholar]

  • From This Site

    /content/books/9781789389166.c09
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
/content/books/9781789389166.c09
dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
-contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
10
5
Chapter
content/books/9781789389166
Book
false
en
Loading
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test