Episode 33: The Dark Side of Residential Education

Global in the Granite State

The recent discovery of over 1,000 unmarked graves at the sites of three former residential schools for First Nations people, has brought these institutions back into the spotlight. However, many people were never taught about the history of these programs to wipe out native cultures. In this month's episode we talk with Dr. Ronald Niezen of McGill University about the ongoing history of the treatment of First Nation peoples.
Dr. Niezen is the author of a 2017 book, "Truth and Indignation: Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Indian Residential Schools", which explored the Canadian government's truth and reconciliation process that occurred from 2010-2015. There is still more work to be done, despite the 94 calls to action that the commission came out with. Explore this important topic with us.
Ronald Niezen, is Professor of Anthropology and Associate Member of the Faculty of Law. He held the Katharine A. Pearson Chair in Civil Society and Public Policy in the faculties of Law and of Arts between 2013 and 2020, and is a former Chair of the Department of Anthropology. He also held the Canada Research Chair in the Anthropology of Law between 2012 and 2019. He was selected as the William Lyon Mackenzie King Chair for Canadian Studies, Harvard University, for 2018-2019.
Professor Niezen researches and teaches in the areas of political and legal anthropology, indigenous peoples and human rights. He is an anthropologist with wide ranging research experience: with the Songhay of Mali, the Cree communities of Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba, and the Sami of northern Europe.