Philosophy
At UHIP, we understand indigeneity to be a political category that recognizes the connection of autochthonous peoples to their lands, and the international alliances and interconnections amongst peoples who identify as Indigenous.
We believe that place matters. Because of our location, the study of Indigenous Politics in Hawai‘i must begin with and be accountable to Kanaka ‘Ōiwi Hawai‘i, the original people of these islands. We are also Pacific-centered because of our familial, genealogical, linguistic, and historical relations to the other Indigenous Peoples of Oceania.
Indigenous politics, as we see, teach, and practice it, is inherently interdisciplinary. Students in this program will examine the breadth and dynamism of the issues and movements that constitute the field of indigenous politics. Our goals are to facilitate learning about the field and to nurture individuals who engage in a critical praxis of indigenous politics. Students are encouraged to analyze the ways various axes of power—such as race, gender, sexuality, and class—intersect with indigeneity.