Commitment to Excellence
Despite Canada's progressive reputation as a "multicultural" and democratic society, it maintains a colonial relationship with Indigenous peoples. This is at the root of the profound inequalities between Canadians and Indigenous Peoples as well as among Canadians. Our new and innovative Indigenous Studies (INDG) program challenges these colonial relationships by examining how they thrive in our everyday experiences and are continuously maintained and recreated by Canadian governments and institutions. .At the same time, students gain experiential knowledge of local Indigenous traditions and languages, engage with the knowledge of Elders, and are introduced to the theoretical work of Indigenous scholars addressing multiple issues relating to decolonization.

Address Critical Issues
Courses in the Indigenous Studies program address a range of critical issues including land claims and the struggles of residential school survivors, missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system, critiques of the concept of reconciliation, and paths to justice and healing.

Choose Your Education Path
As an Indigenous studies major at York, you can choose a range of courses, including Indigenous literatures, cinema and music, Metis realities, Indigenous-Black relations, urban Native communities, Indigenous women, experiential education courses within Indigenous communities, and placements with Indigenous, environmental or other Indigenous support organizations.