Indigenous Socio-Legal Traditions & Perspectives

Students will examine the Canadian legal system as it has developed alongside pre-existing Indigenous legal traditions to critically assess the role of Indigenous law in the contemporary legal context. Students will become familiar with key Indigenous legal orders and posit their role in Canadian law. Students will also focus on the sources of Indigenous law including treaty rights, key judicial decisions, the Canadian Constitution, and international law instruments such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.