Decolonizing the literature review

Just spent a remarkable two weeks instructing ‘IED594: The Research Proposal and Literature Review’ with the current cohort of Master’s of Indigenous Language Revitalization students. What a phenomenal experience–a sincere professional highlight. These fifteen students travelled from near and far for a two-week writing intensive course and accomplished so much. We wrote heaps and interrogated important concepts such as ways to decolonize the literature review process. What an inspiring and insightful group of breathtaking humans doing astonishing work in the world. Building capacity for Indigenous languages and sharing their beautiful writing. I am in awe of them all. So much gratitude. Keep going MILR cohort 2026–this is only the beginning!

Bibliotherapy: “Do books have the power to heal us?”

Here is a great CBC article and link to a recent Ideas podcast on bibliotherapy.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/bibliotherapy-health-1.7577698

While I love this idea, it does make me feel a bit old. When I was growing up before personal computers and the internet in the 1970s and ’80s, “bibliotherapy” was life, it was just the norm. Physical books filled my world and by the time I graduated high school I had probably read several thousand picture books, comics, and novels. The same cannot be said for my own children…sigh. A history of reading alongside mental wellness and self-consciousness is worthy of considerably more scholarly study. Will add that to my ‘after PhD to-do list’.