Font Size: a A A

Towards an aboriginal perspective that addresses ideological domination in social policy analysis

Posted on:2008-05-13Degree:M.S.WType:Thesis
University:University of Manitoba (Canada)Candidate:Morrissette, VernFull Text:PDF
GTID:2440390005972544Subject:Social work
Abstract/Summary:
This study explores an Aboriginal perspective and the imposition of ideological domination, marginalization and oppression of Aboriginal people. Aboriginal authors contend that this perspective is not well understood or appreciated beyond the Aboriginal community and continues to suffer under domination from a liberal democratic ideology.;Textual data representing American tribal religion, a broad representation of Canadian Elders, a local representation of the Cree and Ojibway people of Manitoba, and selected Aboriginal authors who discuss epistemology and philosophy, were used. These were subjected to ethnographic funneling and grounding leading to an articulation of an Aboriginal perspective.;Textual data representing the analysis of ideological domination, the colonization of Aboriginal people, and social policy analysis as a narrower focus were used. These were also subjected to ethnographic funneling and grounding leading to an analysis of the systemic nature of domination and found in colonization and social policy analysis.;The research revealed that the articulation of an Aboriginal perspective is possible, and that this differs in some fundamental ways from the dominant Euro-Canadian ideology. Further, it was revealed that dominance is a systemic feature of Euro-Canadian ideology and inherently resists the inclusion of an Aboriginal perspective.;The purpose of this study was twofold. First, cultural and traditional expressions from many different Nations were examined using a qualitative, ethnographic research design for exploring a representative and collective articulation of an Aboriginal perspective. Second, the same ethnographic approach was used to explore the nature of domination, beginning first with the broad concept of domination, then colonization and social policy as a narrower focus.;Concomitantly, it was revealed that ideological dominance, colonization and social policy also resist inclusion. This occurs through the objectification of Aboriginal experiences, the nihilation of complicity, and the neutralizing of Euro-Canadian responsibility and complicity in the marginalizing and oppressing of Aboriginal people, and this was found to be a systemic feature of Euro-Canadian ideology.
Keywords/Search Tags:Aboriginal, Domination, Social policy, Euro-canadian ideology
Related items