Research & partnerships

Research in action

Making Space for Indigenous Feminism

IGOV faculty member Gina Starblanket explores what it means to make space for Indigenous feminism as editor of the third edition of the seminal series Making Space for Indigenous Feminism.

Archipelagos of Indigenous-led Resurgence for Planetary Health

IGOV faculty members Hōkūlani Aikau and Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark are among the co-investigators of a collaborative project that aims to heal the harm done to the planet, its people and their relationships.

The Archipelagos of Indigenous-led Resurgence for Planetary Health project explores how Indigenous-led resurgence can support healthier lands and people while addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and food, water and energy insecurity.

Indigenous Planetary Health podcast

IGOV faculty member Hōkūlani Aikau and UVic School of Public Administration professor Heather Castleden host the Indigenous Planetary Health podcast.

Together, they speak with Indigenous artists, activists and academics who are addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. These conversations highlight acts of self-determination and collective action.

The Embodied Politics of Indigenous Law

IGOV faculty member Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark is Canada Research Chair in The Embodied Politics of Indigenous Law. Her research explores how Indigenous law lives through everyday practices, relationships and responsibilities, and how Indigenous legal traditions can support the renewal of Indigenous governance and political authority.

Areas of research

Hōkūlani Aikau

• contemporary Native Hawaiian politics
• Indigenous resurgence and climate change
• Indigenous environmental justice
• Indigenous feminist theory
• American race relations
• rematriation of Indigenous food systems 

Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark

• Indigenous law and governance
• treaty rights and Indigenous politics in the United States and Canada
• Anishinaabe and US/CA law
• the criminalization of Indigenous assertions of sovereignty, conditions of consent and gender-based violence

Gina Starblanket

• Indigenous political life
• decolonization
• gender
• Indigenous feminism
• treaty implementation
• relationality

Tory čınus (Johnston)

• Indigenous sound and music
• Coast Salish studies
• Indigenous governance
• sound and media
• intertribal music practices

Michaela McGuire

• decolonization
• racism
• genocide
• state crime
• resurgence
• Indigenous and Nation-based justice
• governance

Research partnerships

We have a long history of working with Indigenous peoples, research centres and traditional programs around the globe. These collaborations provide our students with research opportunities. They also allow academic exchanges with partner institutions.

Centre for Indigenous Research and Community-Led Engagement (CIRCLE)

The Centre for Indigenous Research and Community-Led Engagement is an Indigenous-led research center at the University of Victoria. It offers resources and support for faculty, students and communities to pursue Indigenous research and related activities. The centre fosters culturally safe research relationships and promotes meaningful collaborations at all levels.

CIHR BC Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHR)

The BC NEIHR is one of 9 Indigenous-led networks in Canada. It supports research leadership for Indigenous communities, collectives and organizations.

They help Indigenous faculty and students at BC universities. Their goal is to promote respectful, Indigenous-led research and share knowledge with community partners. They create Indigenous research methods that include local knowledge, traditions and expertise.

Indigenous Law Research Unit

UVic has established the world’s first combined joint degree program in Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders (JD/JID). The Indigenous Law Research Unit (ILRU) is a dedicated research unit committed to the recovery and renaissance of Indigenous laws.

Indigenous language revitalization

For over 45 years, UVic has been committed to local and national language revitalization efforts. We work closely with Indigenous organizations, Elders, community-based researchers, community language experts and educators.

Students in UVic’s Indigenous language revitalization programs:

• develop practical strategies for Indigenous languages to thrive and flourish
• build language skills
• conduct research
• prepare to be teachers and interpreters
• connect generations of Indigenous language speakers and educate future generations
• curate oral histories
• create new dictionaries, videos and apps

University of Hawai'i at Manoa Indigenous Politics program

The Indigenous Politics program at the University of Hawai’i – Manoa (UHIP) explores Indigenous histories, cultures and politics. It focuses on the unique cultural and geographic context of Hawai’i.

IGOV has been engaged in a cultural and academic partnership with the UHIP since 2006 through:

• student exchanges
• co-teaching courses open to students in both programs
• linking with organizations and communities in Canada and Hawai'i addressing issues of Indigenous resurgence
• appointing UHIP faculty as adjuncts so they can participate in IGOV student committees and lead directed readings
• exchange and discussion of ideas and approaches to Indigenous resurgence and nationhood
• a collaborative publication of Everyday Acts of Resurgence: People, Places, Practices

CIFAL Victoria

CIFAL Victoria delivers training activities and research that builds on UVic's commitments to sustainable development and decolonization. It connects the region with the global community and supports international knowledge-sharing and partnerships.

The Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS)

The Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions catalyzes and mobilizes research, partnerships and knowledge that generate climate action in British Columbia and around the world.

Student research

Theses from our graduates are available for download through the UVic Library.