About the Chair

The Chair in Indigenous Governance is supported by Ryerson University as part of its commitment to Indigenous education, diversity and social justice.

Welcome to the Ryerson Chair in Indigenous Governance. The Chair is supported by Ryerson University as part of its commitment to Indigenous education, diversity and social justice. The mandate of the Chair is to conduct research and scholarship in relation to Indigenous law, governance and politics in a First Nation context. This includes, but is not limited to, topic areas such as: Indigenous laws and legal traditions; traditional forms of Indigenous governance; current laws and policies impacting Indigenous peoples and Nations; public administration in First Nations; Indigenous leadership and political structures; Indigenous citizenship and communal relations; and comparative governance research with international Indigenous peoples/Nations.

As part of this broad mandate, the Chair will also teach and develop curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate levels relevant to Indigenous governance and hold public events at Ryerson University for students, faculty and/or the public, as well as participate in conferences, colloquia, and special lectures on Indigenous governance issues.

In order to increase Ryerson’s internal capacity on Indigenous education, the Chair will also work with other faculty members within the University, Faculty of Arts, and/or Department of Politics and Public Administration as needed/requested, to include Indigenous governance content in other related subject area courses, events, conferences and/or research projects. Working with the University, Faculty of Arts (“Faculty”), and/or the Department of Politics and Public Administration (“Department”) as needed/requested to assist in the recruitment and mentoring of additional Indigenous instructors, and/or provide advice and guidance on Indigenous issues generally is also an important part of the Chairship.

Ryerson University with its strong commitment to both Indigenous education and social justice, has supported the Chair to help turn research into action and empowerment. University research is no longer just for students and universities – but can and should include a broader knowledge exchange in Canadian society at large. Community-based research is key to ensuring that everyone benefits from the research and teaching activities at universities.