Indigenous Studies at Johns Hopkins University 3/10/2026 On behalf of the Critical Diaspora Studies Undergraduate Working Group
Housed under the Chloe Center for the Critical Study of Racism, Immigration, & Colonialism, CDS is the only undergraduate discipline to center one of its focus areas on Global Indigeneities We have hosted events on the importance of Indigeneous studies and its contributions and legacies within and outside of academic institutions like Johns Hopkins Why Critical Diaspora Studies?
TABLE OF CONTENTS Indigenous Education at Hopkins Comparative Efforts What We Can Do 01 02 03
Indigenous Education at Hopkins The current state of Indigenous studies at the Johns Hopkins University 01
Land Acknowledgement Johns Hopkins University is located on Piscataway and Susquehannock land–a fact only acknowledged by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
What Exists: Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health No Homewood presence Occasional FYS and/or other courses created by non-Indigenous-specializing faculty Indigenous Peoples Day Pow Wow Run by Johns Hopkins Center for Diversity & Inclusion–not an Indigenous-focused organization
No tenure-track American Indigenous Studies faculty in any department No department or program dedicated to the study of Indigeneity No regular-occurring classes on American Indigenous studies No curriculum on local Chesapeake/Indigenous histories No undergraduate Indigenous student organization Little to no existing relationship with local Indigenous communities What Does Not Exist
Why does this matter? The Johns Hopkins University prides itself on staying at the forefront of cutting-edge research in inter- and multi-disciplinary fields. Students in a multitude of fields, including but not limited to Political Science, Environmental Science, International Studies, History, Public Health, Anthropology, Sociology, have limited opportunities to take courses on Indigenous pasts, presents, or futures. We are being deprived of education.
Comparative Efforts 02 Other peer universities are leading the way
Universities’ Indigenous Studies (Departments) University of New Mexico Arizona State University George Mason University University of Illinois, University of Colorado Dartmouth University University of Alaska all have full departments & degrees in Indigenous Studies
Peer Institutions Expanding (Programs and Centers) University of Chicago- Center for the Study of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity Columbia University- Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Program Yale University- Ethnicity, Race & Migration Program Cornell University- American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program Stanford University- Native American Studies Program UChicago Center Study for Race, Diaspora, & Indigeneity Major & minor Uahikea Maile- Kanaka Maoli scholar, Assistant Professor Yale Ethnicity Race & Migration Major Ned Blackhawk- Professor of History and of American Studies Hiʻilei Hobart- Assistant Professor of Native and Indigenous Studies Cornell University Minor Joleen Rickard- Associate Professor, The History of Art and Visual Studies Troy Richardson- Associate Professor, American Indian & Indigenous Studies Program Stanford University Major & minor Teresa LaFramboise- directs the Native American Studies program in the Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity Offer Lakota, Diné, Hawaiian, Samoan, Haitian Creole, and Nahuatl
What We Can Do 03 A call to action
Next Steps Send an email to administration calling for the university to prioritize the hiring of an American Indigenous Studies, tenure-track faculty member immediately following the current hiring freeze Hire an American Indigenous Studies, tenure-track faculty member in an existing department (e.g., History, Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology) This faculty will ensure expanded curriculum in the field of Indigenous Studies
What does this do? Ensures courses do not disappear if non-tenure-track faculty depart Promotes long-term curriculum planning + continuity Expands graduate & undergraduate advising Guarantees departamental hiring voice Expands educational, academic, & institutional diversity and permanence Opens up opportunities for community engagement & partnerships
THANKS Do you have any questions? hopkins.cds@gmail.com vhan3@jh.edu