A focus on life stories can shed “light far beyond the individual” and allows the historian to make connections to broader historical change (Salvatore, 2004). As one of the oldest forms of historical practice, biography serves many purposes in society such as to construct and validate ethical and social practices as well as commemorate key players. More recently, biography has been recognized as an important decolonizing methodology, with scholars attempting to highlight marginalized actors who have been obscured and/or erased from colonial narratives. This course reflects this trend and will study the life (her)stories of Indigenous women who have shaped Early North America. Critical analysis will include research based in both primary and secondary sources. The course consists of one three-hour class per week, divided into two parts. The first half the class will consist of a lecture, while the second half will be a seminar discussion based on weekly readings. Weekly hours: 1.5 Lecture hours and 1.5 Seminar/Discussion hours Prerequisite(s): 3 credit
A focus on life stories can shed “light far beyond the individual” and allows the historian to make connections to broader historical change (Salvatore, 2004). As one of the oldest forms of historical practice, biography serves many purposes in society such as to construct and validate ethical and social practices as well as commemorate key players. More recently, biography has been recognized as an important decolonizing methodology, with scholars attempting to highlight marginalized actors who have been obscured and/or erased from colonial narratives. This course reflects this trend and will study the life (her)stories of Indigenous women who have shaped Early North America. Critical analysis will include research based in both primary and secondary sources. The course consists of one three-hour class per week, divided into two parts. The first half the class will consist of a lecture, while the second half will be a seminar discussion based on weekly readings. Weekly hours: 1.5 Lecture hours and 1.5 Seminar/Discussion hours Prerequisite(s): 3 credit
