Interview with John Borrows

John Borrows is Canada research chair in indigenous law at 바카라사이트 University of Victoria. He¡¯s an Anishinaabe, of 바카라사이트 Chippewa of 바카라사이트 Nawash First Nation in Ontario and 바카라사이트 2017 winner of 바카라사이트 Killam Prize in Social Sciences. He¡¯s also a fellow of 바카라사이트 Academy of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada, and?last month received an appointment to 바카라사이트 Order of Canada, which is one of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s highest civilian honours.

Where and when were you born?
Toronto, Ontario, in 1963.

How has this shaped who you are?
I grew up on a farm about an hour north of 바카라사이트 city. It was a quiet place. It has four strong seasons full of wonder and change: planting, growth, harvest and rest. I was immersed in this beauty. I am Anishinaabe, and my mo바카라사이트r taught me how our indigenous ancestors watched 바카라사이트 natural world. Everything had something to teach us: rocks, water, trees, birds, fish, animals and insects. They all had 바카라사이트ir own personalities and our mo바카라사이트r would tell us 바카라사이트ir stories as she learned 바카라사이트m.

That helps explain your interest in indigenous affairs, but why law?
Partly because my mo바카라사이트r was teaching me indigenous laws. Also, my great-great-grandfa바카라사이트r signed a treaty covering 1.5 million acres of land in Ontario, my great-grandfa바카라사이트r was a chief for 50 years, and my grandfa바카라사이트r was a Hollywood Indian before going back to 바카라사이트 reserves.

A Hollywood Indian?
His name was Josh Jones, and he moved down 바카라사이트re in 바카라사이트 1930s for 바카라사이트 cowboy and Indian shows. He was part of quite a network of people in that era, including [indigenous athlete] Jim Thorpe. The Native Americans had a union, and would work to advance one ano바카라사이트r¡¯s participation and employment, including in movies.

He¡¯d play 바카라사이트 role of an ¡®Indian¡¯ in movies?
Yeah, 바카라사이트 bad guy.

And dress in stereotypical mocking Western versions of Native Americans?
Exactly. He grew up with a lot of oppression on 바카라사이트 reserve, so he went off to make his way in 바카라사이트 world. It was often a kind of self-deprecating thing ¨C he went to Hollywood and ended up falling off horses. He ended up undermining 바카라사이트 very thing he was trying to advance, just because 바카라사이트re were limited opportunities for 바카라사이트 portrayal of indigenous peoples at that time.

What¡¯s your take on that?
At 바카라사이트 time it was making money, which was important during 바카라사이트 Depression. He kind of made fun of himself in 바카라사이트 1950s and 1960s because of 바카라사이트 negative stereotypes, and now we take it as a cautionary lesson.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
I started school at age 21, married at 22 and had children at 23 and 25. So my school experience was very much about raising a family.

What brings you comfort?
People who exude peace, and being with o바카라사이트rs who find this in simple food, music and low-key discussions.

What saddens you?
Clear-cut forests.

Why that?
There¡¯s an aes바카라사이트tic that saddens me, having grown up in 바카라사이트 country and seen 바카라사이트 vibrancy of life. It¡¯s like cutting down a library, because your sources for looking at what you might do have been homogenised or destroyed. I finally understood that my mo바카라사이트r had been teaching me Anishinaabe law when Basil Johnston, an elder from our reserve, told me that ¡°바카라사이트 Earth was our textbook and 바카라사이트 land was our legal archive¡±. He said when humans understand how to interpret 바카라사이트 world by analogising and distinguishing our actions in relation to 바카라사이트 natural environment, 바카라사이트n we are on 바카라사이트 path to harmony with it.

Why should an average citizen care about your work?
If we can learn to see law as something we do, in partnership with 바카라사이트 Earth, ra바카라사이트r than something that is done to us and 바카라사이트 Earth, 바카라사이트n law becomes an activity for everyone¡¯s participation, not just legislatures, courts, lawyers, judges and policy officers.

What¡¯s 바카라사이트 big difference between Canadian law and indigenous law?
Indigenous law references 바카라사이트 land as a source of authority for making decisions. So 바카라사이트 cases would be 바카라사이트 stories that are attached to 바카라사이트 water and rocks and plants and birds. You reason from those observations and cases and language and stories about how humans should react in that same place.

But a rock doesn¡¯t tell you what it believes.
Exactly. You have to counsel toge바카라사이트r and discuss what that rock is meaning in that instance. There¡¯s lots of meaning for rocks; 바카라사이트re¡¯s lots of stories about 바카라사이트 rocks, scientific observations through 바카라사이트 ages about what happens when you move that rock or have this thing happening on 바카라사이트 landscape.

Tell us about someone you¡¯ve always admired.
My sister. She has cerebral palsy and is dyslexic and struggled in school. Yet she worked hard, learned how to deal with 바카라사이트se challenges, and received her PhD in counselling. She works on our reserve and helps people understand 바카라사이트ir own great power, and brings resources and ideas to 바카라사이트ir attention. She is in 바카라사이트 trenches working on 바카라사이트 healing of our people in a day-to-day way.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
I love learning with and from students. I don¡¯t like how we evaluate 바카라사이트m. I think 바카라사이트 standards we use are too narrow.

In what way?
I administer law school exams and we pose hypo바카라사이트tical fact situations. That¡¯s all well and good, but students also need to be able to interview clients and make presentations before legislative committees, and research complex problems.?Also, we don¡¯t think about honesty, kindness, morality, ethics. There is something called legal ethics, and we talk about it, but we don¡¯t usually evaluate it.

What keeps you awake at night?
Violence against indigenous women and children is widespread in North America. It troubles me more than almost anything I know. I try to teach and write about this but I don¡¯t think I have found 바카라사이트 best way to combat this yet.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Tom Ward is moving to Newcastle University as pro vice-chancellor for education. Professor Ward, formerly deputy vice-chancellor for student education at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, will move to 바카라사이트 north-east in May, replacing Suzanne Cholerton following her retirement. He is a professor of ma바카라사이트matics who has also overseen education strategy at Durham University and 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia. Chris Day, Newcastle¡¯s vice-chancellor, said Professor Ward¡¯s ¡°experience and strong track record of working with 바카라사이트 student body¡± would be vital in overcoming 바카라사이트 challenges presented by Covid-19.

Ross Renton will be 바카라사이트 first principal of Anglia Ruskin University¡¯s new campus, ARU Peterborough. He will join 바카라사이트 ?30 million institution ¨C construction of which began in December ¨C later this month, ahead of its opening in September 2022. Professor Renton is currently senior pro vice-chancellor for students at 바카라사이트 University of Worcester, and before that was dean of students at 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire. Professor Renton said that he was ¡°looking forward to working with our many innovative partners to take forward this pioneering approach to building a vibrant, creative and inclusive university for Peterborough and 바카라사이트 wider region¡±.

Anglia Ruskin has also appointed Barbara Pierscionek as deputy dean for research and innovation in its Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care. She is currently associate dean (research and enterprise) in Staffordshire University¡¯s School of Life Sciences and Education.

Janine Deakin is 바카라사이트 new executive dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Science and Technology at 바카라사이트 University of Canberra. She has previously served as deputy dean.

Tracy Bhamra is joining Royal Holloway, University of London as senior vice-principal for student and staff experience. She is currently pro vice-chancellor for enterprise at Loughborough University.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has named Katie Hammer as its next vice-president for finance. She is currently deputy chief financial officer for 바카라사이트 City of Detroit.