Research

Global Indigenous Forum Research

A major goal of the FIU Global Indigenous Forum is to stimulate, promote and support the research success of students and faculty of Indigenous heritage, or who have interests in Indigenous people and issues.

Doctoral Dissertations

Janna Lafferty, a 2013 founding member of the student club, the Global Indigenous Group (GIG), received her Ph.D. in Global and Sociocultural Studies in Fall 2018 for her dissertation research with the Coast Salish of Washington state titled: "Plant Pedagogies, Salmon Nation, and Fire: Troubling: Settler Colonial Food Utopias and the (Un)Making of Human-Land Relationships.” Major Professor: Dr. Juliet Erazo.

Diane Benitez, (Lakota) Past-President of GIG, received her Ph.D. in Public Administration in Fall 2018 for her dissertation titled: “Economic Development on U.S. Native American Reservations: A Case Study of the Tribes of Florida.” Major Professor: Dr.Sukumar Ganapati.

Indigenous Workshops

In Fall 2018, GIF began an occasional series, known as the “Indigenous Workshop,” to enhance student and faculty research on Indigenous topics. Led by a student or faculty member, the purpose is to discuss a specific topic relating to ways of succeeding in academia while building respectful and ethical relationships with Indigenous communities. Workshops are often led by doctoral students returning from their field research. These informal conversational workshops are open to all students and faculty from departments and disciplines across the University.

“Ethics and Roles of Indigenous Researchers in Academia” by Adrian Cetina (Maya). Ph.D. student in Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies. October 23, 2019. View announcement.

"The Challenges of a Native Anthropologist" by Vanessa Leon. Ph.D. student in Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies. March 5, 2019. View Announcement

“Reciprocity and Cultural Relativity as Life Lessons Learned from Indigenous Peoples,” by David Robles. Ph.D. student in Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies. March 26, 2019. View Announcement.

Faculty at FIU Conferences and Symposiums

“From War and Removal to Resurgence: The Legal and Political History of Florida Tribal Governments.”/ February 28, 2015. FIU Law School Symposium. Organized by Professor Alexander Pearl.(Choctaw)

"Indigenous Religions and the Building of Multicultural States." March 23, 2015 For this international interdisciplinary colloquium panelists discuss the resilience of Indigenous religions in North, South and Central American in the continuing formation of multicultural nation states. Panelists included: Dr Xavier Albo Center for Research and Promotion of the Camesino Bolivia Dr.Juan Castillo Cocom, Universidad Intercultural Maya de Quintana Roo, Mexico Dr.Rita Laura Segato, University of Brazilia Dr. Dennis Wiedman, Global and Sociocultural Studies, FIU With comments and discussion by Andrea Seidel and Ana Maria Bidegain Religious Studies, FIU. /events/2015/indigenous-religions-colloquium/indigenous-religions-web.jpg

To view more of our research capacities, please view publications and projects in the left column.