Indigenous Technologies at the Berkeley Center for New Media
“Indigenous Technologies is a program of the Berkeley Center for New Media that engages questions of technology and new media in relation to global structures of indigeneity, settler colonialism and genocide in the 21st century. This syllabus was created by Indigenous Technologies staff members in coordination with the http://bcnm.berkeley.edu/news-research/3956/announcing-the-2020-2021-history-and-theory-of-new-media-season, which had the theme of “Indigenous Technologies.” ⭐ Want to recommend an addition to the syllabus? Write us through this https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKNj_7n1pZ6u87Bo8jHx7Yujdx4QlK0OoW62dSsqNvn1TBsA/viewform. ” — from the associated Google Doc
This Indigenous-led syllabus offers a framework for understanding technology from an Indigenous perspective, countering erasure in new media. By centring Indigenous experiences, it fosters tech literacy rooted in Indigenous cultural practices, supporting Indigenous innovation in ways that resist settler colonial narratives.Tech Literacy & Accessibility: This syllabus foregrounds Indigenous self-determination in technology education, reframing tech literacy by examining how Indigenous communities historically interact with and adapt technology based on their own cultural knowledge systems. It enables Indigenous learners and scholars to explore new media through frameworks rooted in their traditions and practices, highlighting Indigenous innovation and adaptation outside settler colonial definitions. Reducing Harm in New Media: The syllabus addresses the harmful erasure of Indigenous contributions to technology by centring Indigenous experiences and perspectives in discussions of new media. By highlighting global Indigeneity and technology’s impacts under colonialism, it promotes critical media literacy that counters stereotypical narratives, reducing harm through media that accurately reflects Indigenous histories and contributions.