Research Guides
Indigenous Studies: Background
Encyclopedias help you figure out the who, what & where of a topic. Knowing the who, what & where of a topic is the first step in researching a topic and discovering the "how" and "why". Encyclopedias and dictionaries can provide background information and can be used to identify key people, events and dates which can then be used as search terms for finding additional information. Many also provide a jumpstart on your research by listing related readings.
Two online encyclopedia collections: Gale Ebooks & Oxford Reference Online
Quick Info: Profiles of Indigenous Peoples
- eHRAF World Cultures This link opens in a new window
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Summaries of specific indigenous peoples can be found by using the "Browse Cultures" option.
- Indigenous Peoples: An Encyclopedia of Culture, History, and Threats to SurvivalPriofiles approximately 400 indigenous groups worldwide
- Indigenous WorldAnnual summary of the current political situation of indigenous peoples in various regions
Quick Info: United States & Canada
- Encyclopedia of American Indian History
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- Encyclopedia of American Indian Issues Today
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- Encyclopedia of the American Indian Movement
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- Environmental Racism in the United States and Canada
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Quick Info: Global
- Encyclopedia of the Arctic
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- Historical dictionary of Australian Aborigines
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- Historical Dictionary of the Inuit
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- Native Peoples of the World: An Encyclopedia of Groups, Cultures, and Contemporary Issues
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Oxford Research Encyclopedias
The Oxford Research Encyclopedias (ORE) provide lengthy essays on a number of topics related to indigenous peoples. The UW Libraries has access to 17 of the encyclopedias: African History, American History, Anthropology, Asian History, Climate Change, Communication, Criminology & Criminal Justice, Education, Environmental Science, International Studies, Latin American History, Lingusitics, Literature, Oxford Classical Dictionary, Politics, Psychology, and Religion. If you do find an essay of interest, download it and then close out ORE so that others may use the collection. You may find essays that are not available to the UW, these will have a red lock icon. Here are a sampling of essays with content relevant to indigenous studies.
- Climate Change Communication and Indigenous Publics
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- Endangered Languages
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- Global Indigenous Rights and Response
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- Indigenismo
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- Indigenous American Agricultural Contributions to Modern Global Food Systems
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- Indigenous Anthropology
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- Indigenous Education and Decolonization
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- Indigenous Justice in Oceania and North America
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- Indigenous Languages: Their Threatened Extinction Is a Global Responsibility
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- Indigenous Mobilizations and the Mexican Government during the 20th Century
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- Indigenous Movements in Latin America
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- Indigenous Peoples in Africa
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- Indigenous Policy and Politics in Twentieth-Century Brazil
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- Indigenous Political Representation in Latin America
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- Indigenous Rights in International Law
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- Indigenous Studies in the United States and Canada (literature)
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- Language Endangerment in Africa
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- Navigating Kaupapa Māori Fields of Knowledge
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- Racism and Indigenous Health
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- Tourism and Indigenous Peoples
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In-Depth Info: Handbooks & Companions
- Handbook of Indigenous Peoples' Rights
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- Indigenous Intellectual Property: A Handbook of Contemporary Research.
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- Oxford Handbook of Endangered Languages
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- Palgrave Handbook of African Education and Indigenous Knowledge
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- Routledge Companion to Indigenous Repatriation : Return, Reconcile, Renew
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- Routledge Handbook of Critical Indigenous Studies
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- Routledge Handbook of Indigenous Development
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- Routledge Handbook of Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic
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- Routledge Handbook of Language Revitalization
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- Routledge International Handbook of Indigenous Resilience
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