Paul Gareau

Born and raised in the Batoche Homeland in Saskatchewan, Paul is a Michif-French/Métis scholar whose academic journey started at Concordia University in Montreal. Between 2002 and 2009, he completed a double major in Religious Studies and Social Anthropology, followed by an MA in History and Philosophy of Religion. During his time at Concordia, he loved working with and learning from Drs. Marc Lalonde, Norma Joseph, Leslie Orr, Lynda Clarke, Susan Palmer, and Carly Daniel-Hughes; his graduate research, supervised by the late and great Dr. Donald Boisvert, focused on gendered analyses of Catholic Marian devotions. This experience provided a foundation for his current scholarship and community-led research.

Paul now serves as Associate Professor and Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) in the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta. His extensive body of work focuses on Indigenous and Métis studies, Indigenous onto-epistemologies, and the theory of relationality. From arts-based theatre research to the politics of identity and Indigenous sovereignty, Paul’s work remains dedicated to understanding religion and identity in complex and critical kinship/relational terms. Thank you religious studies for everything!