Dr. Susanne Thiessen

Biography

Susanne Thiessen is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria. She is a Gitxsan/Haida scholar practitioner who approaches her work from an Indigenous rights-based perspective. Her research focuses on Indigenous resurgence and the decolonization of organizational structures and policy processes. Thiessen is dedicated to ensuring that Indigenous peoples are represented in authentic and relevant ways in discussions around political consciousness and land restitution. Her work emphasizes the importance of stewardship of the natural environment and nurtures relationships between Nations as a norm. She reframes narratives around colonial histories and challenges the impacts of colonialism and its attempts at Indigenous cultural erasure and assimilation. With a critical, Indigenous-wholistic view, she critiques Western-centric organizational research practices that often exclude Indigenous voices. She has extensive experience collaborating with national and provincial Nations to create programming and inform policies that respect and honor Indigenous worldviews.

Research Interests