Description
In The Colonial Problem: An Indigenous Perspective on Crime and Injustice in Canada, Lisa Monchalin challenges the myth of the so-called Indian problem and encourages readers to view the crimes and injustices affecting Indigenous peoples from a more culturally aware position. She analyzes the consequences of assimilation policies, dishonoured treaty agreements, manipulative legislation, and systematic racism, arguing that the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in the Canadian criminal justice system is not an Indian problem but a colonial one. Author Lisa Monchalin identifies as Algonquin, Métis, Huron, and Scottish and teaches in the Department of Criminology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia. She holds a PhD in Criminology. Drawing on her own personal background and experience, the author has created an ideal text for students entering college and university programs for criminology, sociology, and victimology as well as senior secondary level students planning on a university education. Chapters are clearly presented and each ends with discussion questions and ideas for additional reading. The introduction sets the context for her approach. The introductory chapters begin with basic understandings of terminology; Ideology and Teachings in terms of Indigenous perspectives; Indigenous Governance and crime; and Historical and Contemporary Colonialism. The following chapters cover Interpretation of Indigenous Treaties and Rights; Legal Manipulation and Indian Legislation; Impact of Assimilation: Residential Schools and Intergenerational Trauma; Crime Affecting Indigenous Peoples; Violence Affecting Indigenous Women; Government and Corporate Priorities and Their Failure to Follow Agreements; Modern Agreements and Land Claims; and Euro-Canadian "Justice" Systems and Traditional Indigenous Justice. The final chapter examines Moving Forward: Lighting the Eighth Fire through a review of recent developments such as the TRC, RCAP, and the resurgence movement of Indigenous artists and scholars. An excellent resource for understanding contemporary Indigenous perspectives.