RE-OCCUPYING THE ARCHIPELAGO: The Potential of Unified Governance in the Thousand Islands Region through Application of the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace
Abstract:
This thesis explores the potential indigenization of governance in the Thousand Islands region through integration of Haudenosaunee political philosophy to better inform methods by which local governing bodies make decisions pertaining to development of the region. By considering forms of governance that are in and of themselves Indigenous to the region, problems pertaining to overdevelopment, racial equity, and conservation my be addressed. The development of a comprehensive framework for the sustainable management and development of Canada's Thousand Islands region may be used to promote coexistence and reciprocity amongst all stakeholders in the area. Through a historical analysis of the site, regional treaties, and Indigenous philosophy, new methods of interaction that contrast hierarchical systems of governance arise as alternatives. The application of the structure of the traditional grand council of the Haudenosaunee, offers a method by which consensus can be achieved by large groups of individuals, prioritizing ideas that benefit the broader community, the land, and generations to come.
The examining committee is as follows:
Supervisor: Val Rynnimeri
Committee Member: William Woodworth
Internal Reader: Tara Bissett
External Reader: Ronald F. Williamson, PhD
The committee has been approved as authorized by the Graduate Studies Committee.
The Defence Examination will take place:
July 21, 2023, 2:00 pm EST, in the Ward Room.
A copy of the thesis is available for perusal in ARC 2106A.