NDW4M Contemporary Indigenous Issues & Perspectives In A Global Context – Grade 12 (University/College)

PREREQUISITE: Any Grade 11 university, university/college, or college preparation course in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies or Canadian and world studies or social sciences and humanities

GRADE: 12 (University/College)

AVAILABILITY: Blyth Academy Online

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies

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Course Overview

Despite the wide diversity of Indigenous peoples around the world, contemporary Indigenous cultures and communities share many perspectives, experiences, concerns, and aspirations. In NDW4M online, students examine global issues from the perspectives of Indigenous peoples, investigating topics such as identity, social justice, human rights, spirituality, resilience, and advocacy for change. Students draw on the depth and diversity of Indigenous cultures, traditions, and knowledge to consider how Indigenous communities around the world persevere despite current global political, social, and economic challenges.

Students learn about the threats to cultural survival posed by trends such as the loss of land as an economic base, environmental decline, lack of sovereignty/self-governance, the legacy of colonialism, globalization, language loss, and gender-based discrimination facing Indigenous women and girls. By encouraging students to examine the political, economic, and social context for a variety of interactions between Indigenous and nonIndigenous populations in several regions of the world, NDW4M online helps students build knowledge and skills that prepare them for meaningful participation in a globalized society.

As students make connections between contemporary global issues and cultural survival, they learn that all cultures benefit when Indigenous values, rights, and aspirations are respected. Students not only explore the impact of global trends on Indigenous lives and lived experiences but they also discover ways in which Indigenous knowledge and leadership can support efforts to address issues affecting all peoples. Students may investigate the benefits of incorporating Indigenous perspectives into resource management, for example, or of employing Indigenous leadership approaches within organizational structures. By exploring the values reflected in Indigenous concepts such as the two-eyed seeing model and planning for future generations – and by investigating how these values can guide approaches to the complex issues facing nations and peoples around the world – students extend their understanding of the contributions that Indigenous cultures make, and the value they add, to the global community. They also develop their awareness of the critical importance of building relationships based on truth and mutual respect.

UNIT ONE
Indigenous Peoples and Perspectives

Essential Question: How are the connections between the Indigenous peoples and their land shifted your awareness and knowledge of FNMI issues?

In this unit, students will develop an understanding and appreciation of the global diversity of Indigenous peoples, and of the factors influencing how Indigenous identities are defined, affirmed, or denied. By exploring the deep connections between Indigenous peoples and the land, students will learn to acknowledge the consequences of displacing Indigenous communities from their traditional territories. Students will also examine the role of Indigenous knowledge and oral traditions in sustaining Indigenous cultures and beliefs.

UNIT TWO
Global Trends and Cultural Survival

Essential Question: How are Indigenous cultures sustained?

In this unit, students will investigate a variety of contemporary economic, social, technological, and political trends to determine how they are related to the cultural survival of Indigenous peoples around the world. Students will explore issues related to human rights, social justice, and self-determination. Students will analyze the balance of power in a variety of interactions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups to deepen their understanding of the connections between political power and cultural survival, as well as the key role of sovereignty/self-governance in sustaining Indigenous cultures.

UNIT THREE
Sovereignty and Self Determination

Essential Question: How is the term "sovereignty" understood by Indigenous peoples globally?

In this unit, students will explore the history and development of the terms/concepts “sovereignty” and “self-determination”. Students will explore how this has shifted the balance of power between Indigenous nations and global states, as well as examine how these terms impact international law related to Indigenous peoples.

UNIT FOUR
Legal, Political, and Social Action

Essential Question: How are Indigenous peoples taking on global challenges affecting them at the educational, societal, and global levels?

In this unit, students will learn about the ways in which the rights of Indigenous peoples around the world are defined, recognized, or obstructed in the judicial, political, and social arenas. Students will examine the roles and responsibilities of international/regional legal bodies, and of national governments and judiciaries, in implementing measures to uphold Indigenous rights. Students will also develop an understanding of the influence of education, social action, and leadership on the promotion of Indigenous rights, aspirations, and perspectives in a global context.

Please consult our Frequently Asked Questions Page or the Exam section within your course for more details on final exams and the exam fee. More information can also be found in our Student Handbook.

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