Promoting Indigenous Knowledge in Labour Studies: Xinying Hu awarded Reconciling Curriculum Grant

Labour Studies term lecturer Dr. Xinying Hu was recently awarded a Reconciling Curriculum Grant for her project, Promoting Indigenous Knowledge in Labour Studies. These grants are available to faculty members within SFU’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) who are incorporating Indigenous perspectives and reconciliation efforts in their curriculum to decolonize the ongoing legacies of colonialism. 

The central theme of Dr. Hu’s project focuses on settler-colonialism’s impact on gender and labour relations within Indigenous communities during their integration into the capitalist economy. Talking in detail about the idea and the intended execution for the proposed curriculum, she says, “The project title came out of years of teaching experience in the Labour Studies program. As I advocate for workers’ rights and social justice, I actively seek to incorporate decolonizing approaches into my pedagogy. This includes assigning works by Indigenous scholars and inviting Indigenous guest speakers into the classroom.” 

Once the curriculum is available to students for enrolment, Hu plans to organize field trips and workshops where students will learn first-hand from the lived experiences of the Indigenous knowledge keepers and gain insights into the current labour market issues that continue to impact Indigenous communities. 

When preparing her application, Hu ensured that her project was Indigenous-knowledge centred at all stages of its conception. “I had discussions with my guest speaker, Gary George, the Officer for Community Relations, SFU’s Office for Indigenous Peoples.” Additionally, she adds that during the process, “Timothy Michel, FASS’ Director of Indigenous Relations, provided invaluable guidance. Through these conversations, I learned who to contact and which communities to reach out to.” 

For any continuing faculty who intends to apply for the grant in future, Hu recommends these key points in the initial stages: identifying the knowledge it is centered in, factors that define the project’s goals, and the stakeholders benefitting from it. She says, “Ask yourself: What does true Indigenous cultural awareness mean to you? An anti-colonial and an anti-oppressive approach cannot be added in last minute; they must be built into the project from the very beginning. I strongly encourage applicants to seek guidance from Indigenous colleagues and community members early in the planning process.” 

As a Reconciling Curriculum Grant recipient, Hu foresees an opportunity for more meaningful, informed, and accountable approaches to decolonized teaching in Labour Studies. She says, “While these efforts are important, I recognize that they remain limited to fully engage students with decolonization and Indigenous labour experience. This grant is not only about funding activities but about committing to reconciliation and an ongoing learning process. 

I am proud to be a part of Simon Fraser University’s reconciliation process. Everybody in the community should take on the responsibility of understanding the truth and stories of Indigenous peoples in B.C.” 

Having started as a sessional instructor herself at SFU, Dr. Hu feels that limited funding opportunities significantly constrain the potential to develop teaching methodologies and professional growth. She suggests applying for the Reconciling Curriculum grants that are available to sessional and contractually limited instructors: “The Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training and Professional Development Grant (as well as the Micro Research and Teaching Development Grants) address structural inequality by providing sessional instructors and limited term lecturers with equal access to professional development opportunities. Every instructor should apply. It will significantly benefit all FASS programs and our decolonizing efforts.”

The application period for the upcoming 2026 FASS Curriculum Grant is currently open. To know more, visit the website page here.