معرفی
Liam Midzain-Gobin serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science within the Faculty of Social Sciences at Brock University. A settler scholar who completed his PhD at McMaster University in 2020, he has rapidly established himself as a significant voice in critical Indigenous and settler colonial studies. His academic journey includes an M.A. from the University of Ottawa (2015) and a B.Soc.Sci. from the same institution (2012).
Dr. Midzain-Gobin's research centers on how settler colonialism persists in contemporary political structures and how Indigenous peoples revitalize governance practices to challenge colonial sovereignty. His work examines the 'logic of improvement' as a constitutive element of international order, exploring how cosmological assumptions about human dominion over the earth underpin settler sovereignty. Employing community-engaged methodologies, he collaborates directly with Indigenous communities through two major research projects: 'Building Inter-National Sovereignty: The Case of the Big Salmon River' (funded by SSHRC) and 'Indigenous Visions for Making Home in Niagara' (funded by the Niagara Community Foundation).
His scholarly output reveals a consistent focus across Indigenous politics, settler colonial theory, and decolonial international thought. The 15 most recent publications demonstrate his engagement with critical questions of sovereignty, Indigenous governance, and resistance across multiple disciplinary contexts including political science, international relations, security studies, and Indigenous studies. His work frequently addresses the material and epistemic dimensions of settler colonialism while highlighting Indigenous strategies of resurgence and self-determination.
Among his professional activities, Dr. Midzain-Gobin serves as Associate Editor for Critical Studies on Security and is co-editing the 'Handbook of Critical Understandings of Canada in the World' with colleagues Heather A. Smith, David Black, and David J. Hornsby. His commitment to community engagement extends beyond research into teaching practice, where he emphasizes critical approaches to Indigenous-settler relations.
In the classroom, he teaches foundational and specialized courses including Introduction to International Relations, Research Design and Methods, Canadian Political Thought, Indigenous Politics in Canada, Global Indigenous Politics, and Indigenous-Settler Relations. His pedagogical approach reflects his scholarly commitment to decolonizing knowledge production and fostering critical engagement with Indigenous governance and sovereignty questions.
