Indigenous Rights
Indigenous Rights, Modern-Day Treaty Talks
Much of my scholarship has been to bear witness to Coast Salish peoples' engagement with modern-day treaty talks; conflicts with the state over Indigenous rights; the implications of non-recognition of rights for food security; partnerships in co-management and land use planning, and the practical recognition of Indigenous intangible property rights.
These are on-going concerns for many of the Coast Salish communities I have had the honour of working with, and I hope are an area where anthropological perspectives can contribute positively.
Private Property and Coast Salish Land Rights
Thom, Brian (2019) Leveraging International Power: Private Property and the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Pp. 184-203 in Scales of Governance and Indigenous Peoples' Rights, edited by Jennifer Hays and Irène Bellier. Law and the Postcolonial: Ethics, Politics, and Economy Series, Routledge, London. ISBN 9781138944480 https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315671888
Thom, Brian (2019) Tirer parti du droit international: la propriété privée et les droits des peuples autochtones au Canada. Pp 195-216 dans Les échelles de la gouvernance et des droits des peuples autochtones, Sous la direction de Irène Bellier et Jennifer Hays. Paris, L'Harmattan. ISBN 978-2-343-17978-0 https://www.editions-harmattan.fr/index.asp?navig=catalogue&obj=livre&no=63415
Johnnie, Kathleen and Brian Thom (2015) “Recognizing Indigenous Rights in Private Land: Testimonies and Maps of Hul’qumi’num peoples” Invited presentation at the Centre for Indigenous Conservation and Development Alternatives (CICADA), Saint-Paulin, Qc, Oct 24, 2015 https://youtu.be/F6xU3MpqOjQ
Thom, Brian (2014) Reframing Indigenous Territories: Private Property, Human Rights and Overlapping Claims. American Indian Culture and Research Journal. 38(4):3-28. http://dx.doi.org/10.17953/aicr.38.4.6372163053512w6x [Open Access Version]
Thom, Brian (2014) Confusion sur les territoires autochtones au Canada. Pp. 89-106 dans Terres, territoires, ressources : Politiques, pratiques et droits des peuples autochtones, Sous la direction de Irène Bellier. Paris, L'Harmattan. https://www.editions-harmattan.fr/index.asp?navig=catalogue&obj=livre&no=46070 [version en libre accès]
Thom, Brian (2009) Protecting the Human Rights of Coast Salish Peoples in British Columbia, Canada. Paper Presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Anthropology Society, 15 May 2009, Vancouver. Published in Culture, the Canadian Anthropology Society Newsletter 3(2):8-11, 2009 http://cas-sca.ca/casca/images/stories/Culture_3_2_2009.pdf [Open Access]
Challenging Overlapping Claims
Thom, Brian (2020) Addressing the Challenge of Overlapping Claims in Implementing the Vancouver Island (Douglas) Treaties. Anthropologica. 62(2):295-307. https://dx.doi.org/10.3138/anth-2020-0014 [open access]
Thom, Brian (2012) “Implementing the Douglas Treaties Today: Respect, Reciprocity and the Politics of Overlaps”. Invited panel address presented at Vancouver Island Treaties Conference, hosted and organized by Snuneymuxw First Nation and Vancouver Island University. 10-11 May, 2012. http://youtu.be/BknwkHf5ku0?t=17m45s
Thom, Brian (2009) The Paradox of Boundaries in Coast Salish Territories. Cultural Geographies. 16(2):179-205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1474474008101516 [Open Access Version]
Thom, Brian (2005) Boundaries and Overlapping Claims. In Coast Salish Senses of Place. Doctoral Dissertation, McGill University [PDF] [Open Access]
Thom, Brian (2000) Territory, Boundaries & Overlapping Claims on the Northwest Coast. Paper Presented at the 99th Annual Meetings of the American Anthropological Association, San Francisco. http://www.web.uvic.ca/~bthom1/Media/pdfs/ethnography/overlaps-aaa.htm [Open Access]
Modern-Day Treaty and Indigenous Rights
Thom, Brian (2008) Dis-agreement in Principle: Negotiating the right to practice Coast Salish culture in treaty talks on Vancouver Island, BC. New Proposals: Journal of Marxism and Interdisciplinary Inquiry. 2(1):23-30. http://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/newproposals/article/view/170/0 [Open Access]
Thom, Brian (2007) “Now is a critical moment: The state of BC Treaty negotiations in the history of land claims” Invited lecture at Aboriginal Neighbours Forum, BC Treaties, First Nations' Perspectives. Anglican Diocese of BC in partnership with the United Churches of the Victoria Presbytery. Duncan, BC. 22 Sep 2007. http://www.web.uvic.ca/~bthom1/Media/pdfs/abrights/now_is_a_critical.pdf [Open Access]
Aboriginal Rights and Title in Canadian Law
Thom, Brian (2016) Aboriginal Rights, Title, Governance and Culture litigation by HTG member First Nations: an interactive webmap. https://sites.google.com/view/htgcasestudy/litigation
Thom, Brian (2005) Theorizing Place in Western Legal Discourses. In Coast Salish Senses of Place, Doctoral Dissertation, McGill University. [PDF] [Open Access]
Thom, Brian (2001) Aboriginal Rights and Title in Canada After Delgamuukw: Part One, Oral Traditions and Anthropological Evidence in the Courtroom. Native Studies Review. 14(1):1-26. http://iportal.usask.ca/docs/Native_studies_review/v14/issue1/pp1-26.pdf [Open Access]
Thom, Brian (2001) Aboriginal Rights and Title in Canada after Delgamuukw: Part Two, Anthropological Perspectives on Rights, Tests, Infringement & Justification. Native Studies Review. 14(2):1-42. http://iportal.usask.ca/docs/Native_studies_review/v14/issue2/pp1-42.pdf [Open Access]
Thom, Brian (1999) Rising to the Test: Meeting Lamer's Tests for Aboriginal Rights and Title After Delgamuukw. Paper Presented at the annual meetings of the Canadian Anthropology Society, Québec City. http://www.web.uvic.ca/~bthom1/Media/pdfs/abrights/tests.htm [Open Access]
Co-Management and Land Use Planning
Olding, Brian, Jessica Rogers and Brian Thom (2008) A Call to Action: Shared Decision-Making, A New Model of Reconciliation of First Nations Natural Resource Jurisdiction. 16pp. Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, Ladysmith. http://www.hulquminum.bc.ca/pubs/A_Call_To_Action_HTG2008.pdf [Open Access]
Thom, Brian (2005) Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group Park Advisory Committee Report and Recommendations on Consultation and Accommodation. 29pp. Parks Canada Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, Sydney. http://www.hulquminum.bc.ca/pubs/IMG_Communications_Final_Report.pdf [Open Access]
Evans, Brian, Julia Gardner, Brian Thom and Lea Joe (2005) Shxunutun’s Tu Suleluxwtst, In the Footsteps of our Ancestors: Interim Strategic Land Plan for the Hul’qumi’num Core Traditional Territory. 112pp. Hul’qumi’num Treaty Group, Ladysmith. http://www.hulquminum.bc.ca/pubs/HTG_LUP_FINAL.pdf [Open Access]
Thom, Brian and Kevin Washbrook (1997) Co-management, Negotiation, Litigation: Questions of Power in Traditional Use Studies. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Applied Anthropology, Seattle. http://www.web.uvic.ca/~bthom1/Media/pdfs/abrights/sfaa.htm [Open Access]
Food Security
Thom, Brian and Karen Fediuk (2009) Coast Salish Food Security in the 21st Century, invited keynote address to the 6th Annual Anthropology Conference on Culture, Community, and Well-Being, Sustaining Food: Conference on Past and Present Food System, Kwantlen University College, Surrey, March 20, 2009. http://www.web.uvic.ca/~bthom1/Media/pdfs/abrights/ThomFediuk2009_foodsecurity.pdf [Open Access]
Fediuk, Karen and Brian Thom (2008) Methodology Design and Community Nutrition Needs: Modeling Report Community Needs/Nutritional Study for North and Central Coast First Nations Marine Use Planning. Report prepared for The Turning Point Initiative, Vancouver. https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/ethnographicmapping/wp-content/uploads/sites/6278/2022/04/Fediuk_Thom_20098_TurningPoint_ScopeMethods_report_14nov08.pdf [Open Access]
Fediuk, Karen & Brian Thom (2003) Contemporary & Desired use of Traditional Resources in a Coast Salish Community: Implications for Food Security and Aboriginal Rights in British Columbia. Paper Presented at the 26th Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnobiology, Seattle. http://www.web.uvic.ca/~bthom1/Media/pdfs/abrights/Barriers_to_Harvesting3.pdf [Open Access]
Intangible Property
Thom, Brian, Susannah Machelak, Sarah Moritz, Shelby Richardson and Jane Wellburn (2011) Inventory of Reports and Analyses Relating to the Protection of Traditional Cultural Expressions of Aboriginal Communities in Canada. Report to the Department of Canadian Heritage, Copyright Policy Branch, Ottawa. PCH contract no. 45293646. 73pp. http://www.web.uvic.ca/~bthom1/Media/pdfs/intangibleprop/FinalReport_TCE_Inventory_31Mar2011.pdf [Open Access]
Thom, Brian (2006) Respecting and Protecting Aboriginal Intangible Property in Canada: Copyright and Contracts in Research Relationships with Aboriginal Communities in Canada. 17pp. Department of Canadian Heritage, Copyright Policy Branch, Ottawa. http://web.uvic.ca/~bthom1/Media/pdfs/intangibleprop/Thom_2006_Protecting_ICPs_CaseStudy_3.pdf [Open Access]
Thom, Brian and Don Bain (2004) Aboriginal Intangible Property in Canada: An Ethnographic Review / Biens immatériels autochtones au Canada: une étude ethnographique. 140pp. Industry Canada, Marketplace Framework Policy Branch, Ottawa. [Open Access]
Thom, Brian (2003) Intangible Property within Coast Salish First Nations Communities, British Columbia. Invited Paper Presented at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) North American Workshop on Intellectual Property and Traditional Knowledge. Ottawa, September 8, 2003. http://web.uvic.ca/~bthom1/Media/pdfs/intangibleprop/paper-wipo.pdf [Open Access]