Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Psychology
Program Name/Specialization
Community Psychology
Faculty/School
Faculty of Science
First Advisor
Dr. Ciann L Wilson
Advisor Role
Assistant Professor
Second Advisor
Dr. Maritt Kirst
Advisor Role
Assistant Professor
Third Advisor
Dr. Martha Kuwee Kumsa
Advisor Role
Professor
Abstract
This thesis was written in the form of two different, yet similar stand-alone manuscripts. The overall premise of my thesis was the exploration of Indigenous-Black identity – Indigenous to both Turtle Island and the continent of Africa. This introduction to the thesis is to give an overview of my work and the manuscripts, and to provide information that is relevant to the understanding of the thesis that may not necessarily be required for manuscripts that are to be submitted for publication. Manuscript one, titled Indigenous-Black Identity, Mental Health, and Trauma explored, as the title suggests, concepts of Indigenous-Black identity regarding mental health and trauma. Manuscript two, Arts-Based Community Workshops: A Process in Identity Formation, was written as a personal reflection in the use of an arts-based community-based methodology, as it relates to the conceptualization of Indigenous-Black identity.
I wrote these manuscripts from my social location as an Indigenous-Black person, which informs my ontology and epistemology in both historical and contemporary contexts. I do this work in part, because there is little to no acknowledgement of my identity, nor the implications of the historical erasure, vis-à-vis the health care and wellbeing of this population (Khan, Kobayashi, Vang, & Lee, 2017; Mills-Proctor, 2010). This research, nested within the larger Proclaiming Our Roots project, aims to add to the literature regarding Indigenous-Black identity, and is ground-breaking insofar as it is the first in Canada to explore mental health and trauma in Indigenous-Black communities. More in-depth critical analyses regarding this research are explained within the manuscripts.
Recommended Citation
Beals, Ann Marie, "Indigenous-Black Identity: Two Manuscripts Concerning Indigenous-Black Identity, Identity Formation, Mental Health, and Trauma" (2018). Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive). 2084.
https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/2084
Convocation Year
2018
Convocation Season
Fall