The project was selected for the grant’s Stream 2 research, which is designed to enhance currently funded research projects by better supporting community-based activities in the research process that were not covered by the original funding. The Community Based Research (CBR) grants program is a joint initiative piloted by the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation to strengthen community engagement in research. This initiative advances the uOttawa Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan for Research and the uOttawa Knowledge Mobilization Strategy.
In this time of reconciliation, the Widokodadoda project represents innovative social sciences studies at the University of Ottawa. It aims to conduct comprehensive consultations with Anishinaabeg Nation members across their ancestral territories. The research will explore how uOttawa can effectively contribute to decolonization and Indigenization within its institutional framework. This project also aligns with the Faculty of Social Sciences' strategic goal of implementing the Indigenous Action Plan recommendations, which is contributing to the decolonization and Indigenization of the curriculum and education system at the University of Ottawa.
Professor Vanthuyne explains that "this undertaking represents a pivotal facet of our Indigenization efforts, as it underscores the fundamental Anishinaabeg principles of relationality, reciprocity and shared responsibility."
The project will involve co-organizing and co-leading consultations with member communities of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation Tribal Council (AANTC). These consultations will help identify ways of supporting the revitalization of traditional knowledge systems by co-creating an online learning platform.
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