Alexandra Arellano
Alexandra Arellano
Associate Professor
Assistant Director, Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs
Affiliated to the Institute of Canadian and Aboriginal studies

2003-2005, Postdoctoral Studies, Études urbaines et touristiques, Université du Québec à Montréal
2003, Ph.D., Sociology, Lancaster University
1998, M.A., Sociologie, Université Laval
1995, B.A., Sociologie, Université Laval

Room
MNT 226
Phone
613-562-5800 ext. 3581


Biography

During my doctoral studies in sociology at the University of Lancaster in England, I was interested in the Peruvian Inca heritage revival steered by tourism mobilities (Urry, 2007). This field of research led me to study cultural festivals in terms of identities renewal, and in connection with Andean indigenismo discourses. Sustainable tourism and regional development issues from a postcolonial perspective, with projects such as the Andean porters of the Inca Trail or topics related to the heritagization of "extraordinary" world heritage sites and their Western appropriation, are still current research themes in my collaborations with Peruvian and other colleagues. These critical leisure studies, and my new environment at the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa since 2006, led me to develop new interests in working with Indigenous peoples of the northern Hemisphere. My research project "Building Meaningful programs for Indigenous youth" (SSHRC 2011-2015) afforded me significant insight into the intellectual world of Northern Indigenous peoples, in particular regarding epistemological issues, emerging Indigenous methodologies, about resurgence through a settler colonial lens, and on a critical self-reflective reconciliation. Respecting Indigenous knowledge and land-based pedagogy are now at the heart of my forthcoming research.

Professor Arellano is accepting new students for thesis supervision.

Research interests

  • Leisure studies and community development
  • Indigenous studies and resurgence
  • Andean studies
  • Postcolonial approaches
  • Sustainable tourism
  • Social inclusion
  • Engaged development
  • Heritage and identity

Ongoing research

  • Building meaningful programs for Indigenous youth (CRSH, 2012-2015). See http://sirc.ca/sites/default/files/content/docs/scri/arellano_en.pdf
  • Tourism, regional development and poverty in Cusco, Peru
  • Indigenous resurgence and self-reflexive reconciliation: Cultural awareness school trips grounded in Anishinaabe culture and pedagogy of the land - Kitcisakik

Publications

(*Student)

  • *Essa, M., Arellano, A., Stuart, S., & Sheps, S. (2022). Sport for Indigenous resurgence: Toward a critical settler-colonial reflection. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 57(2), 292-312.
  • *Friis, J., & Arellano, A. (2021). La réconciliation à travers les séjours d’immersion à Kitcisakik: vers la centralité de la lutte territoriale. Les Cahiers du CIÉRA, (19), 43-66.
  • Arellano, A., *Friis, J., et *Samhat, H. (2021). « Le concept de plein air à travers le savoir autochtone », Plein air: Manuel réflexif et pratique, éditions Raynald Goulet,  p. 373-382.
  • Arellano, A., & *Shoosh Nasab, P. (2020). Troubled Waters: Cruise Ships in the Time of COVID-19. Teoros. Journal of Tourism Research, 39(3).
  • Arellano, A., & Downey, A. (2019). Sport-for-development and the failure of aboriginal subjecthood: re-imagining lacrosse as resurgence in indigenous communities. Settler Colonial Studies, 9(4), 457-478.
  • Arellano, A., *Friis, J., & Stuart, S. A. (2019). Pathways to reconciliation: The Kitcisakik land-based education initiative. Leisure/Loisir, 43(3), 389-417.
  • Arellano, A., *Friis, J., & Stuart, S. A. (2019). Indigenous tourism and reconciliation: The case of Kitcisakik cultural immersions. Vaugeois, N., Phillips, M., & Brouder, P.(Eds.).(2019). Innovative and promising practices in sustainable tourism. VIU Publications, p. 7-21.
  • Arellano, A. & *Vaillancourt, A. (2019). « Le sport autochtone au Canada », dans Sport et Société: Perspectives conceptuelles et enjeux d'action aux échelles québécoise, canadienne et international, Presses de l’UQTR, p. 219-232.
  • Arellano, A., *Halsall, T., Forneris, T., & *Gaudet, C. (2018). Results of a utilization-focused evaluation of a Right To Play program for Indigenous youth. Evaluation and program planning, 66, 156-164.
  • *Kope, J., & Arellano, A. (2016). Resurgence and critical youth empowerment in Whitefish River First Nation. Leisure/Loisir, 40(4), 395-421.