PhD student and UBC Okanagan Public Scholar Emily Comeau.
NAME:
Emily Comeau
PROGRAM:
PhD in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies, Community Engagement, Social Change, and Equity Theme
RESEARCH SUPERVISOR(S):
Dr. Christine Schreyer
HOMETOWN:
Victoria, Canada
AWARDS:
UBC Okanagan Graduate Research Scholarship
UBC Okanagan Public Scholar
RESEARCH DESCRIPTION
Indigenous languages are inseparable from place, and loss of language often parallels loss of land. Language revitalization is one way in which Indigenous communities can reconnect with the land and enact the responsibilities of land stewardship. Despite the disparities that many Indigenous communities continue to face in terms of access to digital technology and technological infrastructure, digital technologies are also being used to foster self-determination and assert Indigenous perspectives. Digital technology often provides communities with greater control over the development and distribution of their language materials. Many communities are actively reclaiming and developing new digital technologies to challenge colonial power structures. This project, the Tlingit Language and Land App, is a collaborative community-based project conducted in partnership with Taku River Tlingit First Nation Land Guardians. We are building a mobile place names app that will allow users to see and hear Tlingit place names on the landscape. This app is a logical extension of the existing Taku River Tlingit Place Names project, which hosts language, stories, and a map of traditional place names. In remote areas on Tlingit territory, there is no access to internet or cellular data, so in order for the app to be accessible on the land, it will need to be operational offline. The Tlingit Language and Land App will situate the Tlingit language on the land, which will help community members and outsiders to visualize the relationship between language and place, and to understand the importance of reclaiming place names. The app will help users learn about the meaning and history around Tlingit place names, and learn to accurately pronounce place names. This project will also contribute to existing work on land use and place names reclamation.
WHAT DOES BEING A PUBLIC SCHOLAR MEAN TO YOU?
To me, being a Public Scholar means prioritizing research that addresses issues raised by members of the public, and that has tangible benefits to the public. I believe that scholarly research is most impactful when both the research process and its outcomes are accessible to the public. As Public Scholars, we are able to bridge the community-university divide, leveraging scholarly research to address community needs.
IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU THINK THE PHD EXPERIENCE CAN BE RE-IMAGINED WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOLARS INITIATIVE?
The PSI encourages doctoral students to ask unconventional questions and pursue creative approaches to research. Many areas of academia have not yet fully embraced the value of public research, particularly community-engaged research. The PSI is helping to raise the profile of public research, and encouraging the university to recognize the rigour and value of community engagement in doctoral research. Increasing the value of public research in graduate programs will also improve the recognition of public research in the academy more generally.
HOW DO YOU ENVISION CONNECTING YOUR PHD WORK WITH BROADER CAREER POSSIBILITIES?
I think of my PhD as a process of making connections and establishing relationships, expanding my knowledge and understanding in the field, and building on skills that I can use in future projects. It is important to me that my PhD work has practical implications in terms of supporting community goals, as well as within the field of language revitalization more broadly, and for myself in terms of future projects and career goals.
HOW DOES YOUR RESEARCH ENGAGE WITH THE LARGER COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL PARTNERS?
As scholars, we are uniquely positioned to leverage academic resources and connections. In the field of Indigenous language revitalization in particular, I believe that the role of settler scholars like myself should primarily be that of collaborator, ally, and supporter. It is also my responsibility, as a non-Indigenous scholar working in Indigenous spaces, to actively serve community needs. This fuels my intention to conduct collaborative research with community partners that supports community-driven goals, and that addresses real-world questions in practical ways.
HOW DO YOU HOPE YOUR WORK CAN MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE PUBLIC GOOD?
I envision my research contributing to Indigenous language and cultural revival in ways that are guided by community members themselves. Language revitalization has been shown to positively impact connection to land, intergenerational relationships, and identity, all of which are important to the health and well-being of Indigenous communities. It is my hope that this research will address some of the disparities that Indigenous communities experience around access to technology, by developing digital tools that can be used in contexts defined by communities themselves. While I envision these tools as context-based and specific, I also hope that they will prompt discussion in other communities – and in the academy – around novel approaches to language revitalization.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE A GRADUATE DEGREE?
When I completed my Master’s degree in 2018, I did not plan to pursue a PhD. I hoped to find work where I could use my research skills to support community language initiatives. While I did find valuable and interesting work, I also found a desire to ask new questions and learn new skills – essentially, I found that what I really wanted to do was more research. In this way, pursuing a PhD seemed to be a logical next step in my career as a scholar.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COME TO UBC OKANAGAN AND STUDY?
I was drawn to the IGS CESCE program at UBC Okanagan in part because of this program’s support of collaborative community-based work. I also wanted to work with other scholars who share similar values and priorities in their approach to language revitalization and reclamation. The flexibility of this interdisciplinary program has allowed me to pursue studies in language as well as other relevant subjects. I believe that complex issues require creative solutions, and interdisciplinary collaboration allows us to approach language revitalization more holistically, considering not only the linguistic aspects of language shift, but also the social, political, material, and relational factors that impact language use.
Emily Comeau is a UBC Okanagan Public Scholar. Learn more about the Public Scholars Initiative (PSI).