Russell Barsh (1998-1999)

Professor Barsh came to Dartmouth from the University of Lethbridge, Canada. He is a scholar and activist in the field of indigenous rights. From 1978 to 1981, he worked as one of the land claims researchers and treaty negotiators for the Union of Nova Scotia Indians and Mi-kmaq Grand Council. In 1982 he was given a commission as the Grand Council's representative to the United Nations, a role he served roughly half-time until 1993 when he left to help renew the Native American Studies program at Lethbridge. He has taught and written on a range of topics from a Native perspective, and his research and service also contains a strong international component. He taught three courses at Dartmouth: "The Fourth World," "Indigenous Science," and "Oppression, Memory, and Recovery." He also worked with Dartmouth's Environmental Studies Program, coordinating an independent study course with them on indigenous farming at Dartmouth's Connecticut River farm facility.