The Indigenous Nations Library Program at University Libraries is sponsoring a lecture, “Asserting Self-Determination in an Age of Biocolonialism” by Debra Harry on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. in the Willard Room of Zimmerman Library. There will also be a brown bag discussion from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Herzstein Room of Zimmerman Library.
Harry is a Northern Paiute from Pyramid Lake, Nevada. She serves as the Executive Director of the Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism, a non-profit organization based in the U.S. created to assist indigenous peoples in the protection of their genetic resources from the negative effects of biotechnology. She completed her doctoral work at the University of Auckland in December 2008.
Harry will examine Indigenous People’s experiences with human and non-human genetic research and the misappropriation of Indigenous knowledge and resources, within a global system known as “biocolonialism.”
She believes this is furthered by governments through international treaties, national laws and regulations which facilitate scientific, academic institutions, and corporate interests with unfettered access and the use of genetic material and indigenous knowledge of the their lands and waters.
Harry says biocolonialism is the result of manipulation and alienation of the collective heritage of Indigenous Peoples. She will also discuss the elements of wisdom, principles, values and traditional law as the most relevant context from which Indigenous Peoples may address the impacts of biotechnology in their lives.
For more information about the lecture, please contact Lecture Series Coordinator Savannah Gene at (505) 277-7433.
Media contact: Karen Wentworth (505) 277-5627; kwent2@unm.edu
Posted by kwentworth at March 27, 2009 11:48 AM