PhD Oral Exam - Léa Denieul Pinsky, Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies

When studying for a doctoral degree (PhD), candidates submit a thesis that provides a critical review of the current state of knowledge of the thesis subject as well as the student’s own contributions to the subject. The distinguishing criterion of doctoral graduate research is a significant and original contribution to knowledge.

Once accepted, the candidate presents the thesis orally. This oral exam is open to the public.

Abstract

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Saint Laurent valley, Quebec, became increasingly surveyed as France, England, and later Canada, claimed land and removed the Indigenous people who inhabited it. In Kanehsatà:ke (also known as Oka), the rights and interests of the Kanehsata'kehró:non were never included in the mapping process and they were continually denied rights and recognition. This research aims to reclaim land surveying by repurposing cadasters and land patents, originally used by religious and governmental institutions, for the Kanehsata'kehró:non to talk about land that was historically taken from them. While cadastral mapping has been critiqued as a tool of colonial surveillance and control, I flip the traditional power dynamic by mapping where settlers live and how they acquired land. This shift demonstrates that cadastral maps and archives can function not only as instruments of control but also as tools for liberation.

To achieve this, I outline my mapping process in three parts. First, I review how maps and archives have been reshaped through counter-practices. I interview an art historian, a Citizen Potawatomi cartographer, a Kiowa journalist, and a historian recycling colonial land records in critical Indigenous mapping projects. These conversations provide a broad perspective on the intersection of maps and archives, highlighting the unique insights, ethical considerations, and challenges in studying them together. Second, with the guidance of a Kanehsata'kehró:non Land Defender, I designed and led an investigation into the archives of the Sulpician priests. I developed a methodology to repurpose these “counter-archives” into a geospatial database for use in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Finally, I explored future uses of my mapping project by tracking how various stakeholders plan to use the map to advance their own intentions and priorities.

This approach not only demonstrates how colonial maps and archives provide different perspectives on historical events but also how to leverage these differences to amplify the voices of those who have been marginalized or silenced. By turning my attention towards the increasing Indigenous led research in colonial archives, I trace the emergence of new kinds of mapping projects and explore innovative uses of cadastral data to support political change. Recognizing colonial archives as a mappable dataset for Indigenous benefit broadens the scope of settler colonial studies in Quebec, a field that often plays second fiddle compared to other provinces. Ultimately, while mapping archives can serve as a basis for contemporary debates on land rights, reparations, and Indigenous sovereignty, the true essence of the work lies in cultivating and maintaining the relationships that bring these maps to life.