(Native) American Pragmatism and Refusal

• In Event: Excavating the Past, Present, and Future Through Archival Frames That Elevate Black, Indigenous, and Queer Perspectives for Radical Hope

Abstract

This paper examines the connection between Indigenous philosophical thought and the early roots of pragmatism, developing a historical genealogy which connects those through a complex historical network, highlighting the way modern Indigenous practices of refusal share themes with contemporary revisionist pragmatism. “Refusal” refers to the decolonial strategy to unsettle practices of extraction and assimilation of Indigenous life and philosophies. It is a reassertion of Indigenous sovereignty not only of place, but of thought. It also hopes to open a dialogue about how the relationship between pragmatism and voices of resistance is a meaningful avenue to building upon both ways of engaging in this work and exploring these roots and their impact on our growing understanding of Indigenous presence in curriculum.

Author

• Sage Hatch, University of Oregon