Title: A Mohawk’s Journey to Understand Lateral Violence
Supervisor: Dr. Darren Warburton
Committee members: Dr. Lynn Lavallée, Dr. Rosalin Miles, Dr. Moss Norman
Abstract: Lateral violence, a prevalent issue within Indigenous communities, encompasses a complex and harmful set of behaviours that individuals and groups perpetrate against each other due to systemic oppression and historical trauma. This phenomenon is not well understood, and only recently has been named. Its impacts can be devastating on an individual level and greatly harm the collective psyche. In order to find solutions and strategies to dismantle this harm, I have chosen to direct my thesis as an effort to delve deeper into lateral violence to gain a better understanding of its origins, impacts, and potential solutions. My thesis is grounded in personal, familial, and community experiences and aims to critically analyze insights related to lateral violence, specifically within the Mohawk community. My thesis is my personal effort to drag a very damaging phenomena out of the shadows in order to enhance our understanding and propose strategies for reconciliation, healing, and wholistic health and well-being. The importance of this topic extends beyond personal reflection, offering both academic and community relevance.