Research summary
Before colonization, Indigenous Peoples in Canada had their own complex systems of government. Dr. Lee Damien, Canada Research Chair in Biskaabiiyang and Indigenous Political Resurgence, aims to increase our understanding of the significance of the political systems of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Damien’s research is framed by two key principles: that Indigenous Peoples have their own systems of governance that exist regardless of whether or not the Canadian state recognizes them; and that such systems can remain unreconciled with Canada yet still maintain their legitimacy. Damien and his research team are establishing a mobile qualitative research lab to study three core themes: disengagement and refusal, rebuilding from the inside, and fostering understanding.