Wastelanding: Indigenous Environmental Justice in the Western US

A connection to land is often central to Native identity and spirituality. The degradation and exploitation of Native lands, then, not only causes physical harm to Native communities, but spiritual harm as well. Through a series of invited speakers, this seminar series explores Indigenous Environmental Justice (IEJ) as distinct from the broader environmental justice movement. Students will learn about IEJ from speakers covering topics such as uranium mining on Navajo and Hopi lands, the Dakota Access Pipeline dispute, and the Yurok Tribe Climate Change Prioritization Project. We will then turn to the importance of self-determination and sovereignty in the IEJ movement, along with the failures of federal and state systems of law and governance. The series will conclude with discussions of how academic researchers can best engage with Native communities, partner with Indigenous scholars and incorporate traditional knowledge into research.