Academic Indigenous Activism in Canada and Ireland

Aboriginal peoples in Canada and Travellers in Ireland are both Indigenous and marginalized minorities that share significant similarities. Activism, as a means to ameliorate their representation, not only raises awareness regarding their marginalization, but it also highlights one significant difference between them. The creation of Idle No More was a pivotal event that mobilized Indigenous peoples, including academics to raise awareness of Indigenous issues. So why have academics in Canada engaged in activism to support Indigenous groups while Irish academics have not? This qualitative research paper assesses how the academic community engages in activism for two selected cases. Historical institutionalism will analyze power structures that create opportunities or obstacles for activism within academia, and the actors engaging within these frameworks. The outcome of this research is to generate a discussion of activism for Indigenous groups that discloses its implications within academia and between other institutional arrangements in both countries.