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Faculty of Social Sciences

Indigenous Economics Research Cluster

July 23, 2026

forest
A forest within the unceded territories of the Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, the Te’mexw Treaty Association, MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) and Quw’utsun peoples.

By Anne MacLaurin

Donn Feir, UVic economics, Susanne Thiessen, UVic public administration and Rebecca Johnson, UVic law formed the Indigenous Economics Research Cluster as a multidisciplinary and community-engaged space for studying, supporting and renewing Indigenous economies.

“Colonization has systematically undermined the infrastructure and resources that support Indigenous economies,” says Feir. “Yet Indigenous communities continued to pursue economic opportunities that reflect their own values, laws, priorities and visions for the future.”

“Indigenous economies are not simply alternatives to mainstream economic models; they embody distinct legal orders, governance structures, reciprocal relationships with land, and responsibilities to future generations,” says Thiessen.

Building relationships

 In 2023, Feir, Johnson and Thiessen used the funding from UVic’s Aspiration program to launch conversations with current grad students and Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars from economics, law, public administration and related areas.

The cluster connects academic research with community knowledge and priorities, while developing relationships, research tools, workshops, reports, and funding proposals that can support Indigenous-led economic development.

Cluster goals

Goals include to make Indigenous economic systems and institutions more visible, support their restoration and renewal, explore innovative economic arrangements that advance just, stable and sustainable futures, and produce research and knowledge-sharing resources that respond to community needs. The cluster also aims to build lasting partnerships among Indigenous communities, scholars, students, organizations and practitioners, while supporting large-scale research and establishing a leading centre for Indigenous law, governance and economics.

Together, these goals contribute to a deeper form of economic reconciliation—one that recognizes Indigenous communities as knowledge holders and decision-makers, rather than simply as subjects of economic research.

Tangible outputs

 In addition to research and writing, Feir and colleagues have supported the Indigenous Prosperity Centre and the Songhees Economic Development Corporation in implementing the Songhees Labour Market Study (ʔay̓nəw̓əlʔist Study).

“We contributed to survey design, community-engagement processes, data interpretation, and report development,” says Feir. “It was an honour to be part of the process with them”

An upcoming project includes using traditional government data sets to understand Indigenous economic experiences through the lens of gender and changes over time. Feir explains how another project will look at the outcomes of children and caregivers involved in the child welfare system.

Thiessen points out that from the onset, “our priority has been to co-develop research with Indigenous communities in ways that respond to their priorities rather than imposing externally defined research agendas.”

Indigenous youth

 The working cluster prioritizes engaging with Indigenous youth on their economic experiences and aspirations. They contributed to the Indigenous Youth & Economy Conference with Indigenous youth-led activities and youth-designed workshops hosted at the Songhees Wellness Centre, with the Indigenous Prosperity Centre.

“It prioritized Indigenous vendors, speakers, and community voices, reflecting a commitment to Indigenous economic sovereignty and community-based development,” says Feir.

“These gatherings are not simply opportunities to disseminate research; they are spaces where knowledge is shared, relationships are strengthened, and future research directions emerge from community dialogue,” says Thiessen.

Community partners

 The Indigenous Economics Research cluster “involves a growing network of community, academic, youth, and economic-development partners,” says Feir.

Our partners include organizations such as the Indigenous Prosperity Centre, Songhees Economic Development Corporation, the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, CANDO, and the Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development, alongside Indigenous communities, scholars, students, and practitioners.

“Each partnership brings distinct forms of knowledge and experience that enrich the research while ensuring it remains relevant to community priorities,” says Thiessen.

“Perhaps most importantly, these partnerships challenge conventional academic models of knowledge production. Rather than treating research as something produced within universities and transferred to communities, we understand knowledge as something that is co-created through ongoing dialogue, mutual accountability, and shared learning,” says Thiessen.