Indigenous Student-Led Decolonial Movements in Higher Education: A Case Study of the Indigenous Course Requirement at the University of Winnipeg

Abstract

This research study seeks to explore the nature of decolonial tactics and strategies, theorized as decolonial movements, that are engaged by Indigenous students in higher education through a case-study of the Indigenous student-led initiatives that led to the mandatory ICR at UWinnipeg in 2016. The ICR at UWinnipeg was specifically chosen for this analysis as UWinnipeg was one of the first universities in Canada to implement an ICR for all undergraduate students as a graduation requirement, and the initiative was Indigenous student-led, as opposed to being driven by the university’s academic leadership. This study relies on one-to-one interviews with students that led these initiatives, and a focus group session with current Indigenous students to engage their narration of the ICR. This study seeks to identify and understand student-led movements that challenge colonial legacies in higher education institutions with attention to the significance of Indigenous histories, places, and knowledge systems.