Carmen Gillies
Assistant Professor, Educational Foundations

Dr. Carmen Gillies is Métis and multi-racial (Norwegian and Chinese Canadian) and is from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. In 2018, Dr. Gillies completed her PhD in Educational Foundations at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research utilized critical race theory and critical mixed-race studies to analyze the racialized K-12 experiences of Métis teachers. She also earned a Master of Education with Educational Foundations, which examined the history of scientific racism and ongoing anti-Indigenous racism in Saskatchewan education. Carmen’s research examines critical race theory and its potential to strengthen and contribute to local Saskatchewan-based and Canadian racially just democratic schools and society. Prior to her appointment as an Assistant Professor with the College of Education, she served as faculty with ITEP and SUNTEP, and as a Research Associate with the Aboriginal Education Research Centre. Outside of research and teaching, she enjoys working with teacher candidates and has facilitated anti-oppressive groups such as the Student Teachers' Anti-Racism Society (STARS) and the SUNTEP Anti-Racism Education Forum and Gender and Sexual Diversity Alliance. Currently, she works with teacher candidates and faculty/graduate student mentors as the project lead of the Anti-Racist Education Mentorship (AEM) Project. Carmen also works with Saskatoon schools where she delivers anti-racism professional development and collaborates with inspiring teachers and administrators.

• Ph.D., University of Saskatchewan, Educational Foundations, 2018 A Critical Race Theory Analysis of Metis Teachers’ Counter-Stories: https://harvest.usask.ca/handle/10388/8449 
• M.Ed., University of Saskatchewan, Educational Foundations, 2007 Historical Racial Theories and Ongoing Racialization in Saskatchewan: https://harvest.usask.ca/handle/10388/etd-01162007-134258
• B.A. University of Saskatchewan, Department of Indigenous Studies, 2002
• B.Ed. University of Saskatchewan, Majors: Secondary Social Studies and English Language Arts, 1997

Undergraduate Courses

• EFDT 101 Introduction to Education
• EFDT 301 Educator Identity in Contexts Anti Oppressive and Ethical Beginnings
• EFDT 435 Critical Perspectives in Educational Thought and Values
• ECUR 265 Teaching for Reconciliation in the K-12 Curricula

Graduate Courses

• EFDT 844 Theory and Practice of Anti-Racist Education
• EFDT 898 Critical Race Theory: Foundations and Future Directions
• EFDT 898 Critical Race Qualitative Research and Education

 Special Topics Graduate Courses

• EFDT 898 Critical Race Theory and Special Education
• EFDT 898 Land-Based Pedagogy and Participatory Action Research

Research Interests:

• Current racialization patterns and impacts on education, society, and democratic rights
• Critical race theory and qualitative research in K-12 and teacher education
• Anti-racist teacher education and critical professional development and mentorship
• Critical mixed-race studies and multi-racial students’ experiential knowledge
• Métis informed anti-racist education and the positioning of White presenting Métis
• The history and reproduction of scientific racism and hybridity theories

Current Research Projects:

• Gillies, C., (PI), Bergen, J. & St.Denis, V. (2022 - 2023). Exploring the role of critical professional development in anti-racist teacher education, University of Saskatchewan SSHRC Explore Grant.
• Gillies, C. (PI). (2022 – 2023). Conceptualizing the anti-racist responsibilities and positioning of White-presenting Métis educators, College of Education John Ranton McIntosh Grant.     
• Gillies, C. (PI). St. Denis, V, Pocha, S. & Altenberg, J. (2022 - 2024). Imagining and Enacting Métis Informed K-12 Anti-racist Education, University of Saskatchewan SSHRC Exchange Grant.          
• Gillies, C. (PI). (2022 – 2023). Social Media as Anti-Racism Teacher Education: Implications and Possibilities, Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, McDowell Foundation Grant.

Current Graduate Students:

• Cheslea Davis (PhD)
• Cristin Dorgan-Lee (PhD) (Co-Supervision with Dr. Geraldine Balzer)
• Jessie Fiddler (M.Ed.)
• Carson Magnuson (M.Ed.)
• Tessa Nicholson (M.Ed.)

• Gillies, C. (2021). Content integration and the missing Indigenous students: Learning from Metis teachers. In Education, 26(2), 4-23. https://journals.uregina.ca/ineducation/article/view/477.
• Gillies, C. (2021). Seeing Whiteness as property through Métis teachers’ K-12 stories of racism. Whiteness and Education. DOI: 10.1080/23793406.2021.1946842.
• Gillies, C., Burleigh, D., Snowshoe, A., & Werner, D. (2014). Walking in circles: Self-location in Indigenous youth violence prevention research. First Nations Perspectives, 6(1), 5-25.
• Kovach, M. Montgomery, M., Carrier, J., Barret, M., & Gillies, C. (2013). Stories of diverse identity locations in Indigenous research. International Review of Qualitative Research, 6(4), 487-509.
• Anuik, J., & Gillies, C. (2011). Indigenous knowledge in post-secondary educators’ practice: Nourishing the learning spirit. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 42(1), 63-79.  

• Gillies, C. (2022). Anti-racism and reconciliation. Invited panel presentation, Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, Panel on anti-racism, anti-oppression and reconciliation, July 5, 2022.
• Gillies, C. (2022). School-based deficit thinking and the preservation of White colonial power. Canadian Society for the Study of Education, virtual conference.
• Gillies, C. (2022). Social media and teacher professional development: Anti-racist implications and possibilities. International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, virtual conference.
• Gillies, C. (2021). Complicating trends in mainstream anti-racism. Canadian Society for the Study of Education, virtual conference. 
• Gillies, C. (2021). Critical race theory counter-storying and Métis teacher education. Canadian Society for the Study of Education. Edmonton, AB.
• Gillies, C. & Pocha, S. (2020). Pathways and obstacles to truth and reconciliation in teacher education: Anti-racist lessons. Think Indigenous Education Conference, Edmonton, AB.

Using critical race theory to form lawyers: Why teaching CRT encourages a more practical approach to practising law.

https://www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articles/the-practice/legal-education/2021/using-critical-race-theory-to-form-lawyers