Fostering Resistance, Cultivating Decolonization: The Intersection of Canadian Colonial History and Contemporary Arts Programming With Inuit Youth

Using a case study of a social circus program developed for Inuit youth in Northern Quebec, this research analyzes how social service programs developed for indigenous youth must be understood and designed in relation to colonial history. Focusing on the program’s contradictory and complex role in a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cultural studies, critical methodologies critical methodologies, 2015-02, Vol.15 (1), p.15-29
Main Authors: Schwan, Kaitlin Jessica, Lightman, Ernie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Canada
Colonial history
Colonialism
Decolonization
Eskimos
Humanities
Indigenous Populations
Inuit
Methodology
Pedagogy
Quebec
Resistance
Social Programs
Youth
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Summary:Using a case study of a social circus program developed for Inuit youth in Northern Quebec, this research analyzes how social service programs developed for indigenous youth must be understood and designed in relation to colonial history. Focusing on the program’s contradictory and complex role in assimilation, acculturation, and cultural preservation, we analyze how colonial dynamics can be recapitulated despite best intentions. Youths’ acts of resistance to the program are analyzed as microinteractional efforts toward decolonization rather than instances of “maladaptive” behavior. We discuss how such programs can foster decolonization and the implications of such an approach for program evaluation.
ISSN:1532-7086
1552-356X
DOI:10.1177/1532708613509373