Previous Education

Cert. (Indigenous Studies), Memorial University, 2024
B.A. Hons. Co-op. (Archaeology, Anthropology), Memorial University, 2024

Supervisor

Dr. Meghan Burchell

Keywords

Marginalization, Power, Identity, Public Education, Mortuary Landscapes.

Research Statement

My proposed MA research will interpret the history of Black heritage and representation in mortuary landscapes in Atlantic Canada during the colonial period (1600-1900 CE). Atlantic Canada was an essential player in the global trade networks, such as the fishing industry and colonial settlement, because of its ports and ocean networks. Various colonial powers controlled Atlantic Canada, creating a complex landscape of political power structures directly affecting Black populations, which still impacts communities today. Additionally, the significant migration of various populations into Atlantic Canada due to civil unrest in the US contributed to the Black diaspora. My research will explore the narrative building of Black cemeteries by examining the systems of marginalization within burial practices, the cemetery's intentional disregard and disrepair, the lack of academic discussion about these landscapes, and how black cemeteries are places of resistance and expressions of individuality. I will combine theoretical frameworks such as agency, interactionism, and social identity to understand the identity creation of 'others' and community-based activism within marginalizing structures and policies in mortuary landscapes under colonialist and imperialist rule.

Contact

Email: hptough@mun.ca