IDS/GEO 340: Engaging Indigenous Methodologies in Health Research: An Oral History Interview

A portion of a multimedia art installation by Elizabeth Doxtater (Six Nations of the Grand River) titled "Encircles Everything" (2022). Depicts white corn, squash, and purple beans (the Three Sisters) with wood, beads, clay, and corn.

Building upon a semester-long oral history interview project, you will compile a power-point presentation that shows how Indigenous methodologies can inform radical and community-based knowledge about health and wellbeing. 

Project description

Throughout the semester, you will be working towards completing a final wellbeing interview project. Stage 1 has two steps: first, you will critically reflect about how knowledge about health and wellbeing is created in settler colonial societies. Then, you will attend in-class trainings on how to conduct oral history interviews, and how they are embedded in Indigenous methodologies. After this stage you will produce a project proposal for your oral history interview. Stage 2 has two steps: first, you will conduct 1-2 oral history interviews with elder(s) or other member(s) of your family or your broader community about experience(s) with health and wellbeing in their life. In preparing for, engaging, and analyzing this interview you will engage in Indigenous methodologies and methods. You will transcribe and analyze your information and formally present a draft of your analysis to the class. Stage 3 is a final report on this project, which for the purposes of the ELN badge will also translate into the form of a slide presentation. 

Project outcome

Participants will submit a brief 5-6-slide deck documenting their work, including details of the oral history interview, the final analysis, their positionality in this analysis, and the skills they developed from this experience. 

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment About a semester; 3-5 months
Start time Fall (August/September) 
In-person, remote, or hybrid? Hybrid Project 
Level of collaboration Individual student project 
Benefits N/A
Who is eligible All undergraduate students who are part of IDS 340/GEO 340: Public Health and Indigenous Wellbeing (not a pre-requisite, but open only to current students). 

Core partners

  • Dr. Meredith Alberta Palmer 

Project mentor

Meredith Palmer

Assistant Professor

Department of Indigenous Studies & Department of Geography

Phone: (607) 342-1383

Email: palmerm@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Ensure you are enrolled in the course for the correct semester.
  2. Click the button to start the digital badge below.
Start the Digital Badge

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

1. Read assignment (attached).

EngagingIndigenousMethodologiesinhealthresearchanoralhistoryinterview_79406182_ids_geo_340_wellbeing_interview_project.pdf | Powered by Box
        
2. Attend class, specifically the Oral History Interview training with Dr. Theresa McCarthy from HARK
3. After you complete the in-class assignment, compile a formal slide deck about the project to submit to ELN. 

Keywords

Indigenous health, geography, history, public health, critical methodologies, social justice, wellbeing