Indigenous Studies organises a teaching module in English (15–30 ECTS), which is open for all students from any of the faculties of UH. It is part of Master's Programme in Finnish and Finno-Ugrian languages and cultures, thematic studies of Master's Programme in Environmental Change and Global Sustainability (ECGS), Master's programme in Intercultural Encounters (ICE), and Doctoral Programme in Political, Societal and Regional Change.
The Indigenous Studies module covers the following thematic, methodological, and theoretical competences: Introduction to World’s Indigenous peoples, Indigenous research methodologies and research ethics; Indigenous languages and education; biocultural diversity, Indigenous arts, and Indigenous histories and rights. The study units introduce to Indigenous philosophies, values, and concepts providing with new insights into onto-epistemologies, power relations, as well as historical and contemporary perspectives in Indigenous studies. Engaging with relational teaching methods, the students learn about Indigenous peoples’ knowledge-making processes, which draw from interactions and lived experiences and observations through many generations. The Indigenous Studies programme can inspire the students who plan their career in, for example, policy-making, environment and sustainability sector, education, social work, health care, law, economy, museums, and various areas of culture.
Module content:
Degree requirements for 15 credits:
- IND-510 Indigenous people, linguistic diversity and education
- IND-511 Methodologies and research ethics in Indigenous Studies
- IND-512 Biocultural approaches to the environment and conservation
Degree requirements for 30 credits additionally:
- IND-513 History, power and indigenous rights
- IND-514 Indigenous arts
- IND-515 Selected topics in Indigenous languages
Teaching 2021-2022
- IND-510 Indigenous people, epistemic and linguistic diversity (5 cr), I period.
- IND-512 Biocultural approaches to the environment and conservation (5 cr), II period.
- IND-511 Methodologies and research ethics in Indigenous Studies (5 cr), III period.
- IND-513 History, power and Indigenous rights, teaching event in 2022 Indigenous rights and international law (5 cr), IV period.
- IND-514 Indigenous arts. Teaching event in 2021-2022 as Venäjän pohjoinen kirjallisuus (KIM-RU345, III-IV periods, in Finnish).
- IND-515 Selected topics in indigenous languages (5cr), in 2021-2022 teaching events are “Saame I” (I period), “Saame II” (II period), “Saame III” (III period), and “Saame IV” (IV period).
- PYAM-9195 & PYAM-9196 PhD Seminar in Indigenous Studies I & II (I–IV period)
A general examination is also possible in all study units.
Contact: pirjo.virtanen@helsinki.fi