The Indigenous Studies Discussion Group (ISDG) is a network run out of the University of Cambridge aiming to:
(1) To promote scholarship by and about Indigenous Peoples across disciplines and geographies to be a regular feature of the intellectual life of Cambridge.
(2) To promote the sharing and discussion of insights and ideas pertaining to Indigenous studies across Peoples, disciplines, times and geographies.
About the Group
The Cambridge University Indigenous Studies Discussion Group (ISDG) is a multi-disciplinary award-winning Cambridge-based research network led by post-doctoral and postgraduate researchers that has been operating in this field since 2019 with the aim of breaking disciplinary silos and creating a platform to discuss various critical themes emergent in Indigenous Studies. Indigenous Studies offers crucial insights on various aspects of the human experience spanning across many peoples, disciplines, time periods and places. Overwhelmingly, the field is composed of heavily context-dependent case studies that develop their own theories in their own geographical or disciplinary silos. Thus, it is difficult to stay updated with the work done across the field’s entire range.
The ISDG meet monthly to listen to presentations or panels, read and discuss topics related to Indigenous Studies around the world. In this format we hope to connect the different people working with, involved with and/or interested in Indigenous Studies at the University of Cambridge. Since 2019, the ISDG has so far hosted 124 speakers from 77 institutions in 31 countries/regions engaging with 69 Indigenous, local, and marginalised groups.
The ISDG had been a CRASSH network exceptionally for three consecutive years (2021-2024) and has been supported by the Cambridge Heritage Research Centre and McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. In 2020, the ISDG was recognized at the Outstanding Student Contribution to Education Awards run by the Cambridge Centre for Teaching and Learning with a High Commendation under the Inclusive Practice category. In September 2022, the group hosted the three-day conference titled 'Indigenous studies in the United Kingdom & Europe: pasts, presents and futures' which brought together 4 Keynotes, 10 Sessions, 30 Papers, 100+ Attendants representing 12 countries (institutions) and Indigenous cultures including Sami, Tuuniit, Tjuvecekadan, Maasai, Chickasaw, Pacific Islander, Kurdish, Australian Aboriginal, and Penan.
Name
While the term Indigenous is issued in the title for brevity, the group aims to discuss topics relating to groups who identify variously as, for example, First Nations, Adivasi, Aboriginal, Native Nations, Scheduled Tribes, Autochthonous, etc.
Contact the Organisers:
General Contact - isdgcambridge@gmail.com
Rosebell Abwonji, Research Assistant, Cambridge Conservation Initiative, University of Cambridge - rcaa2@cam.ac.uk
Oliver Antczak, Teaching Associate, Archaeology (Heritage Studies) - oa273@cam.ac.uk
Benny Q. Shen, PhD Student, Archaeology - qs228@cam.ac.uk
If you would like to join our mailing list, or if you would like to suggest future speakers, readings or events, please email one of our organizers.
