UWinnipeg’s Associate Professor Dr. Brian Rice* educates future teachers about Aboriginal issues in the Department of Education.
“More and more, teachers are required to teach Aboriginal content in the curriculum,” explains Rice. “We need to take a more active role to better inform our students about Aboriginal issues”.
In order to achieve this, Rice relies on his experience as both a teacher and principal in a First Nations School.
Rice has served as a director of a successful Aboriginal Governance Program at the University of Manitoba. He also taught Aboriginal culture and issues in both an Indigenous Studies Department at the University of Sudbury and the Religious Studies Department at the University of Winnipeg.
Rice has recently written a peer reviewed book, The Rotinonshonni: A Traditional Iroquoian History Through the Eyes of Teharonhia:wako and Sawiskera published by Syracuse University Press. This book is based in part on his 1998 dissertation while in the Traditional Knowledge Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies and has been chosen as one of three must reads by CHOICE, a publication of the Association of College and Research Libraries in America.
His first peer reviewed book is Seeing The World With Aboriginal Eyes: A Four-Directional Perspective on Human and Non-human Values, Cultures and Relationships on Turtle Island published by Aboriginal Issues Press. This book is a widely utilized resource by various Indigenous studies programs throughout Canada.
Rice has also written peer reviewed chapters in The Handbook of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Routledge Press; Philosophy and Aboriginal Rights: Critical Dialogues, Oxford University Press; eight Aboriginal Histories for the National Library of Canada; Critical Issues in Peace and Conflict Studies, Lexington Press; The Nature of Empires and The Empire of Nature, Wilfred Laurier Press and co-authored an article featured in the book From Truth to Reconciliation: for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and was an advisor for two of the TRC events and sat on a special academic advisory committee. He also helped develop the Masters in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Winnipeg along with its Indigenous Peace and Conflict Course.
Rice has done presentations on Aboriginal culture, issues and education in Guyana, Ireland, Senegal, Mexico, Israel, Palestine, Thailand, Australia and more recently Myanmar. He presently contracted to write a new history book for Aboriginal Education. Rice sits on various doctoral committees in both the United States and Canada.
*Dr. Brian Rice is also an Adjunct Professor Menno Simons College and Adjunct Professor, Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice: Peace and Conflict Doctoral Program (University of Manitoba).
