Drawing on group position theory, settler colonial studies, critical race theory, and Indigenous theorizing, Canada at a Crossroads emphasizes the social psychological barriers to transforming white settler ideologies and practices and working towards decolonization. After tracing settlers’ sense of group superiority and entitlement to historical and ongoing colonial processes, Denis illustrates how contemporary Indigenous and settler residents think about and relate to one another. He highlights how, despite often having close cross-group relationships, residents maintain conflicting perspectives on land, culture, history, and treaties, and Indigenous residents frequently experience interpersonal and systemic racism. Denis then critically assesses the promise and pitfalls of commonly proposed solutions, including intergroup contact, education, apologies, and collective action, and concludes that genuine reconciliation will require radically restructuring Canadian society and perpetually fulfilling treaty responsibilities.
"Canada at a Crossroads is rich in empirical detail that provides a 360 degree, nuanced view of the differences within and between indigenous and non-indigenous communities in Rainy River, what brings them together, what divides them and their varying understandings of what constitutes both ‘bridges’ and ‘boundaries.’ This is an important book that makes an original and thoughtful contribution to the discussion of indigenous-settler relations in Canada – and other white settler societies."
- Avril Bell, Department of Sociology, University of Auckland
"With excellent scholarship and in-depth field work, Canada at a Crossroads is rich in research, utilizing several research strategies to support findings including observation, questionnaire, photo-voice, archival research, and interviews."
- James Frideres, Department of Sociology, University of Calgary