Nisha Toomey, PhD
Workshops (selected)
Sticky Settler Colonialism
What is settler colonialism, and why does it “stick” as a logic and set of practices? Using examples from across the globe and current research from multiple fields, this workshop provides accessible definitions and examples of settler colonialism, colonialism, imperialism, postcolonialism, anti-colonialism and decolonization. I discuss the phenomenon of the “global land rush” and its relationship to private property, colonialism and white supremacy. I contrast the phenomenon of the global land rush with major Indigenous sovereignty movements happening across the globe, and examine implications for climate change, food and water security. I explore the codependent relationship between capitalism, private property and white supremacy, as well as how Indigenous theories of land and place can help us reimagine our relationships to land, modern nation-states and one another.
​
​
​
Is the Sun Setting on Western Epistemologies?
This workshop discusses the origins of Western knowledge hegemony to understand how colonial processes have blocked our access to diverse forms of knowledge. One of the assumptions of colonialism was that “civilized” white people were bringing superior forms of knowledge (and in turn, superior ways of being) to the countries they invaded; this assumption persists in the present. I draw on work from Indigenous scholars including Linda Tuhiwai Smith and Eve Tuck and from Black feminist scholars including Sylvia Wynter and Katherine McKittrick to explore the structural processes that hierarchize knowledge. Together we will discuss and examine our own assumptions and biases, and in turn think through how to best address these in classroom and professional settings.
Mainstream media, objectification, and hegemonic disruptions
This workshop examines how empire, capitalism and white supremacy manifest in the media. Through an interactive style that provides real time examples of news headlines, photos, video and websites, participants will interrogate how media objectifies racialized peoples by building on Orientalist and stereotypical notions of the “Other.” We will define the meaning of “hegemony” and the impact of mainstream media narratives on public education as a hegemonic force. Drawing on examples of media used by humanitarian and international development agencies, we will think through the connection between objectification of the “other” and capitalist/consumptive practices.