Dr. Martha Stiegman

Biography

Martha Stiegman is an Associate Professor at York University, specializing in Indigenous studies. Her research focuses on Indigenous and settler treaty relations, Indigenous knowledge, food sovereignty, and disability justice. She employs arts-based participatory methodologies to explore these themes, particularly within community contexts. Stiegman has a strong background in community organizing, having worked extensively in Montreal’s urban agriculture movement. Her doctoral research utilized participatory video methods to examine alliances between the L’sitkuk Mi’kmaq Nation and neighboring non-Indigenous communities in the context of fisheries privatization following the Supreme Court of Canada's Marshall decision. Collaborating with Indigenous scholars and artists, Stiegman has been involved in numerous projects that address treaty relations and food sovereignty. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges traditional Indigenous knowledge with contemporary ecological sustainability and social justice efforts. She actively engages in documenting community visions and facilitating action towards social change, while critically analyzing the intersections of colonialism and neoliberal economic transformations.

Research Interests