Carly Kutnikoff (she/her) is a fourth year Political Science major with a minor in History, and has just published her article "Partners in Prosperity: Analyzing the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation” in the 2022 edition of the PSUR.
Outside of academics, Carly is a successful contributor to the Undocumented Migration Project: Hostile Terrain 94 exhibit at the University of Alberta Fine Arts gallery through the Department of History & Classics as well as the Edmonton City as Museum Project. She also holds a certificate from the House of Commons recognizing work in preserving and promoting Albertan history.
Carly’s favourite Political Science class has been POL S 327 (Indigenous Politics in Canada) taught by Dr. Isabel Altamirano-Jimenez. She explains that “this course explored the tensions between the Canadian political landscape and Indigenous autonomy and rights. Further, the materials examined the impact of Canadian resource extraction on Indigenous women's bodies with a focus on intertwining feminist and environmental justice discourse.”
Read further to hear about Carly’s research, its importance, and her encouragement of submitting your own work to a student journal!
Hi Carly! What inspired you to research the specific topic of your paper?
I have always taken an interest in understanding local and provincial politics and the ways in which they impact the lives of those in Alberta. However, having a passion for history, I began to question how and if Alberta legislation addressed colonial histories and existing colonial structures of violence. Reflecting on the intertwined systems of Alberta government and politics, resource extraction and colonialism, I was intrigued by Bill 14 (the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation Act) passed by the current United Conservative government. While reconciliation remains an ongoing project, I sought to examine the extent to which legislation was representative of the recommendations outlined in the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada as well as dedicated to the wellbeing of Indigenous communities. For me, this paper was about de-centering Alberta politics and challenging the current approach to reconciliation.
What was the most interesting thing you learned from researching/writing your paper?
The most interesting thing I learned during research for this paper was contemporary use of documents historically used to disenfranchise Indigenous individuals. The enactment of historical documents and legislation are inherently marked by colonial thought processes and beliefs and therefore act in opposition to reconciliatory efforts.
What made you want to submit to the PSUR?
I reflected on the research and analysis that went into this paper and recognized the difficulties associated with locating as well as understanding government legislation, and wanted to call attention to the intricacies of legislation that ultimately impacts all of us. In addition, this research and writing challenged me to think about my own self-location and acknowledge the ways in which I am implicated in colonial structures and what I can do to dismantle these structures. While it is an uncomfortable exercise, I wanted to emphasize this discomfort as a signal of learning and growing.
What was the submission and peer-review process like for you? And what was the most valuable part?
The peer-review process was amazing and extremely helpful in pinpointing opportunities to strengthen my work. The most valuable part was receiving multiple points of view to understand the perspective of different readers and how my work may translate to others. This definitely helped me step outside of my writing bubble and examine ways to make my work more accessible and digestible.
What would you say to someone who is considering submitting their work to the PSUR?
Just do it! I essentially viewed the process as submitting work for a blind review and at the end you get the opportunity to have peers provide feedback on your work which you can utilize to improve your writing skills for future projects and submissions. Chosen or not, you gain insight into what publications are searching for and what they value. As a bonus, being published offered me a boost of encouragement and laid the foundation for me to continue further down my path of academic interest and explore new opportunities.
What is a piece of advice that you would give to students as they write papers that they might submit to the PSUR?
I think we as students like to have a method to the madness of writing a paper, but the most important part is to simply begin and identify your arguments. The best way to ensure I am keeping on track with the subject of my writing is having a self-check in after each paragraph and ask myself: would the reader understand why this is important?
You can read Carly’s article in the 2022 edition of the PSUR on our website!