This is the full recording of a lecture given by Professor John Berkman, LSRI Visiting Fellow (2021-22), at the University of Oxford, 11th November 2021.

About

Land claims are among the most significant issues facing indigenous peoples around the world today. Control of land is key not merely to sustainable existence in economic terms, but to the possibility of the survival of spiritual cultures, traditions, and knowledges. In Canada, recognition of the land claims of First Nations peoples is a controversial political issue. Little progress has been made towards a comprehensive settlement. In this lecture, Professor Berkman examines this issue with reference to the historical, theological, and political perspectives of First Nations peoples. He considers how this contemporary debate might be replicating and repeating the colonial mindset it seeks to move beyond. And he draws lessons for contemporary land contestations around the world today.