Learning Modules
Our Calls to Action: iSchool at UBC
Information Institutions and Organizations
How can colonial information institutions begin to fulfill their obligations to represent Indigenous materials and knowledge in more respectful, informed ways?
Many information institutions in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, and myriad other regions are deeply steeped in the “colonial tradition.”
Information Practices
How have information practices changed in order ensure that Indigenous communities control their own cultural heritage?
Changes to colonial information practices have primarily emerged as the result of advocacy by Indigenous information professionals, activists and scholars (Phillips 2011).
Technologies and Languages
What role can technology play in indigenization of the information professions?
The effects of colonization on Indigenous languages have been devastating. Many children who were forced to attend residential schools or were victims of the Sixties Scoop became disconnected from their heritage and communities through loss of their language skills, and through federally mandated efforts to prohibit cultural activities and language.
Identity, Positionality, & Relationships
Why does identity matter?
Identity is defined as “who or what” a person is. Positionality is defined as an individual’s position in relation to others, in reference to things which make up their identity (such as culture or ethnicity). An individual’s identity and positionality are integral factors in how they interact with others and form relationships.