This seminar examines the comparative politics and lived experiences of indigeneity and centers the work of Indigenous scholars, activists, and artists. We cover topics ranging from Spanish reducciones and ideologies of mestizaje in the Americas to debates over the limits of legal recognition under “neoliberal multiculturalism” in Australia and Indonesia, and from Indigenous sovereignty in the U.S. to the rise of Bolivia’s President Evo Morales and his efforts to put a Pro-Pachamama (a vital force often glossed as Mother Earth) platform on the global stage. Further, we will study Indigenous efforts to decolonize knowledge production, including the discipline of anthropology itself. In the process, we will address settler colonialism, struggles over authenticity, political recognition, and citizenship, efforts to decolonize gender and sexuality, and the antecedents of contemporary language revitalization and political movements.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 15

Prerequisites: Two 200-level units in anthropology, economics, history, political science, or sociology, or permission of the instructor.

Instructor: Ellison

Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis

Typical Periods Offered: Every other year

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered

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