Call for Book Chapters
For a PDF version of the call, click here.
Historically, Indigenous women and girls, have not been positioned as creators or holders of knowledge within academic spaces. Scholars of critical race feminism have argued that racialized, gendered, classed, and otherwise marked histories, provide distinct and valuable sources of knowledge that are often rendered illegitimate (or invisible) in the context of white, middle class dominant spaces (Gonzales, 2018). Therefore, it is imperative that Indigenous women and girls have control over where and how they share their stories.
Indigenous girls and women everywhere are motivated to resist and protest, to teach and inspire, and to hold accountable both Indigenous and non-Indigenous allies to their responsibilities to protect the values and traditions that serve as the foundation for the survival of Indigenous peoples. This edited collection will draw on a critical race feminism framework to engage in the project of celebrating survival (Wing, 2003). Celebrating survival is a methodological approach that accentuates and amplifies “the degree to which indigenous peoples and communities have successfully retained cultural and spiritual values and authenticity” (Smith, 1999, p. 145). Gregory Cajete (1994) writes that celebration is “an individual and communal process that celebrates the mystery of life and the journey each of us takes. Celebration is a way of spreading the lights around” (p. 73). Authors should center Indigenous perspectives in ways that affirm the experiences of Indigenous women and girls in educational spaces and demonstrate how girls and women have overcome existing structures to ensure the survival of Indigenous knowledges, cultures, and authenticity. Indigenous girls and women need to create new modes of scholarship and thinking that exist outside of the academic system.
As noted above, this edited book seeks submissions that exemplify and celebrate the role of Indigenous girls and women in educational spaces, which are broadly defined as an environment or setting where learning occurs.
Chapters can include empirical, theoretical, or creative approaches. Suggested below is a list of topics where the voices of Indigenous women and girls are needed. However, this list is not exhaustive. Authors are encouraged to think beyond this list.
- Mothers, aunties, and grandmothers’ influence on education
- Indigenous writing styles
- Decolonizing professional spaces (e.g. dress)
- Indigenous girls and women in digital and social media spaces
- Relationships with nature and outdoor spaces
- Religious and spiritual space involvement
- Navigating quasi/academic spaces (e.g. study groups, student centers)
- Indigenous leadership and political engagement
- Colonized academic majors (e.g. archeology, anthropology)
About the Process
Interested scholars should submit a 500 word abstract for a chapter of 5000-8000 words. The abstract should describe how the chapter will address the focus of the book. Please email your submission to indigenouswomeneducation@gmail.com by April 16, 2021. The book proposal will be submitted in early summer. Authors will be contacted about submitting full chapters once a decision has been made about the proposal.
References
Cajete, G. (1994). Look to the Mountain: An Ecology of Indigenous Education. Kivaki Press, Colorado.
Gonzales, L. (2018). Subverting and minding boundaries: The intellectual work of women. The Journal of Higher Education, 89(5), 677-701.
Smith, L. T. (1999). Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. Zed Publishing: London.
Wing, A. K. (Ed.). (2003). Critical race feminism: A reader (2nd ed.). New York: New York University Press
Doing Indian Country Research 