Overview
This course examines Indigenous novels, traditional stories, poetry, short stories, and plays from various time periods, written by Métis, Inuit, and First Nations authors. We will study the themes, aesthetics, and politics of the texts, using a combination of culturally specific and pan-Indigenous approaches.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate an appreciation of Indigenous literatures from various time periods and numerous communities across Canada and identify their distinctive features.
- Assess the complex relationship of Indigenous literatures to formal, cultural, historical, political, and social contexts in Canada.
- Relate Indigenous concepts of land and spirituality to Indigenous literatures.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how colonialism and racism affect Indigenous experience and literary production.
- Recognize the limitations associated with studying and understanding Indigenous cultures and world views within the context of western frameworks and a formalized, non-Indigenous education system.
- Approach other disciplines and social context outside the classroom with heightened intercultural awareness.
Terms
Evaluation
20% - Book Club Chat Discussion Activities (best 9 of 10)
5% - Land Encounter Reflection Part 1
10% - Land Encounter Reflection Part 2
10% - Essay Part 1: Thesis Workshop (Group Activity)
25% - Essay Part 2: Final Essay
5% - Collaborative Close Reading
25% - Proctored Final Exam
*Evaluation Subject to Change*
Proctored Exams
Exam Centre Location, Eligibility, and Fees
Students enrolled exclusively in online courses may choose one of two options to write this course’s proctored assessments:
- You may choose to write the assessments online under supervision of ProctorU proctoring services. A $100 fee will be charged to your SOLUS account. This fee is known as the Off Campus Exam Admin Fee and is applied in SOLUS at the earlier of: term tuition posting date, or the date at which exam writing method is changed to online. The fee is assessed once per ASO course with proctored assessments.
- You may choose to write the assessments in-person on Queen’s campus in Kingston at no additional charge.
Students enrolled in at least one on-campus course are expected to write this course’s proctored assessments on-campus during the scheduled exam time. They will not be permitted to write this course’s proctored assessments online.
Students were prompted to indicate their preferred exam writing method when enrolling in the course in SOLUS. The exam writing method may be changed by contacting the ASO Exams Team at aso.exams@queensu.ca.
Information for students writing online assessments using ProctorU
Selected assessments in this course will be administered in onQ using online proctoring provided by ProctorU, a third-party, cloud-based service. This proctoring solution was chosen to support our efforts in maintaining academic integrity when online proctoring is required. Queen’s has conducted an extensive privacy and security review of ProctorU and has entered into a binding agreement with terms that address the appropriate collection, use and disclosure of personal information in accordance with Ontario’s privacy legislation. To learn more about online proctoring, please see the information provided by the Office of the University Registrar.
If you registered to write online with ProctorU, all information pertaining to the technical requirements and preparation for writing online will be posted in onQ well in advance of your exam. 
The use of ProctorU as described is unique to courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Science Online. Other Faculties use online proctoring solutions in different ways under different regulations. Students should contact the appropriate Faculty examination team if they have questions.
Timing of Final Examinations
The exam period dates for each Term are listed on the Faculty of Arts and Science webpage under "Important Dates". Student exam schedules for the Fall Term are posted to SOLUS immediately prior to the Thanksgiving holiday; for the Winter Term they are posted on the Friday before Reading Week, and for the Summer Term they are individually noted on the Arts and Science Online syllabi. Students should not make any travel plans until after the examination schedule has been posted. Exams will not be moved or deferred to accommodate employment, travel/holiday plans or flight reservations. Students experiencing extenuating circumstances preventing them from writing their exams as scheduled should review the information about the Academic Consideration process.
Textbook and Materials
ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.
- Dimaline, Cherie. The Marrow Thieves. Cormorant/Dancing Cat Books. 2017.
- Halfe, Louise. Burning in this Midnight Dream. Brick Books. 2021.
- Moses, Daniel David. Almighty Voice and his Wife. Playwrights Canada P. 2009.
- Robertson, David Alexander. Betty: the Helen Betty Osborne Story. HighWater Press. 2015.
- Ruffo, Armand Garnet. Grey Owl: the Mystery of Archie Belaney. Wolsak and Wynne. 2021.
- Van Camp, Richard. The Lesser Blessed. Douglas & McIntyre. 2016.
Time Commitment
Students can expect to spend, on average, 10-12 hours per week completing relevant readings, assignments, and course activities.