Laura Schaefli
Department of Geography, Queen’s University, Kingston ON Canada | Mackintosh-Corry Hall E310|
Laura is a PhD candidate in the Department of Geography and Planning. Her research interests lie in decolonizing methodologies, philosophies of knowledge and ignorance, feminist and postcolonial theory, and geographies of education. Her dissertation seeks to understand and challenge the problem of ignorance about Indigenous peoples in Canadian society through 1) critical examination of the representation of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples in Canadian provincial curricula, 2) co-design of a knowledge test and questionnaire with First Nations, Métis and Inuit educators, university administrators, faculty, students, and staff and 3) distribution of the questionnaire through a 100% census of students in their first year and, 3.5 years later, fourth year at participating universities. The goals of the project are to influence provincial curriculum development, help universities create better climates for Indigenous students, and contribute to critical social theory on the role of ignorance in maintaining social exclusion.
AWARDS and prizes
SSHRC Canada Vanier Graduate Scholarship 2013 – 2016
International Tuition Award 2012 – 2016
Queen’s University Doctoral Travel Award 2014 – 2015
American Association of Geographers Indigenous Peoples Specialty Group Student Paper Prize 2013
PUBLICATIONS
Godlewska, A., J. Rose, L. Schaefli and S. Freake. (in review). First Nations, Métis and Inuit presence
in the Newfoundland and Labrador Curriculum. Race, Ethnicity and Education.
Godlewska, A, L. Schaefli, A. Leger, S. Whetstone, J. Adjei, J. Finlay, R. Roy, and J. Massey (in review). Deep learning in a blended learning environment. A five semester exploration of what matters. Journal of Geography in Higher Education.
Schaefli, L. and A. Godlewska. 2014. Social ignorance and Indigenous exclusion: Public voices in the province of Quebec, Canada. Settler Colonial Studies 4(3): 1-18.
Schaefli, L. and A. Godlewska. 2014. Ignorance and historical geographies of Aboriginal exclusion: Evidence from the 2007 Bouchard-Taylor Commission on reasonable accommodation. The Canadian Geographer / Le Géographe canadien 58(1): 110-122.
Godlewska, A., L. Schaefli, and P. Chaput. 2013. First Nations assimilation through neoliberal education reform. The Canadian Geographer / Le Géographe canadien 57 (3): 271-279. Other refereed publications
Leger, A., A. Godlewska, J. Adjei, L. Schaefli, S. Whetstone, J. Finlay, R. Roy and J. Massey. 2013. Large first-year course re-design to promote student learning and student engagement. The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario.
Conference presentations (selection)
L. Schaefli. 04-2014. Kaswentha: Haudenosaunee treaty expectations of the Canada-U.S. border. The American Association of Geographers. Chicago, Illinois.
L. Schaefli. 05-2014. First Nations’ treaty rights at the Canada-U.S border. The Canadian Association of Geographers. Brock University, St. Catherine’s, ON.
L. Schaefli. 04-2014. Thinking geographically about law: A case study of the Jay Treaty and First Nations’ border-crossing rights. The American Association of Geographers. Tampa, Florida.
L. Schaefli. 08-2013. "A good and wise measure"? Indigenous peoples, the 1817-1827 International Boundary Commission, and the Canada-U.S. border. The Canadian Association of Geographers. Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Godlewska, A. J. Massey, T. Brophy, and L. Schaefli. 06-2013. Blending assessment and research: how to partner with faculty to improve student affairs programs and services. Canadian Association of College and University Student Services. McGill University, Montreal, Quebec.
L. Schaefli. 05-2013. Contesting national imaginaries: Indigenous peoples and the Canada-U.S. border. Culture and the Canada-U.S. border. Algoma University, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Godlewska, A. and L. Schaefli. 03-2013. Historical geographies of unawareness: The challenge of theorizing ignorance. Placing History, Historicizing Geography: A cross-disciplinary dialogue on the relations between geography and history. University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
L. Schaefli. 05-2012. Negotiating unawareness in public perceptions of Indigeneity in Quebec: The 2007 Bouchard-Taylor Commission on reasonable accommodation. The Canadian Association of Geographers. Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario.