Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Treaty Day Marks Ongoing Impact of Native American Treaties







If you’ve attended a local event recently, you may have heard a statement similar to this opening the event:

I would like to acknowledge that we are on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.”

Land acknowledgements, like the one above, are one way to show respect for the Indigenous people who have called this place home since before colonizers arrived.  These statements serve to return Indigenous people to the public consciousness.  However, land acknowledgements run the risk of becoming rote language, rattled off without a shared understanding of the meaning behind the words.  These statements are just an incremental step towards recognizing the impact of colonization on Indigenous communities.

On January 22, 1855, near what is now Mukilteo, Washington, the Treaty of Point Elliott was signed, establishing a government-to-government relationship between the United States and signatory tribes.  Other treaties were signed around the same time, establishing similar compacts in other parts of Washington StateRecent efforts to digitize 377 Native treaties, as well as related proclamations, resolutions and relevant documents, make these important documents more accessible to the general public.    

Many tribes throughout northwest Washington recognize Treaty Day.  Early events were an occasion to gather together to revitalize traditional practices.  Today, tribes commemorate the day by reflecting and sharing with their local communities about the ongoing impact of the treaties.  Similar to land acknowledgements, Treaty Day offers an opportunity to be reminded of the history of the land that we inhabit and to gain a deeper understanding of the people who have resided on that land since time immemorial.

More information about resources for American Indian / Alaska Native students in the UW community can be found here 

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Misinformation Information

For the last few years, there's been a lot of talk about misinformation, fake news, and deep fakes. But is this a subject that people just talk about superficially and don't look at rigorously? Not at all—and some of the researchers are right here at the UW!

The Center for an Informed Public launched last month, with the bold mission "to resist strategic misinformation, promote an informed society, and strengthen democratic discourse." CIP's director is Prof. Jevin West, from the Information School; Prof. Ryan Calo, from UW Law, is another of the principal investigators. Join CIP at Town Hall Seattle for Technology's Impact on Democracy, Thur., Jan. 23, 7:30 pm.

For some recent research, check out Fake news and fact-checking: 7 studies you should know about, Journalist's Resource (Jan. 13, 2020). For more, see the new peer-reviewed journal (or website), the Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review.


 For more links to research and books about misinformation, see our post, In Praise of  Using Facts (May 26, 2018).

And remember, if you need help looking up information—about misinformation or nearly anything else—you can ask us! Stop by (where else?) the Information Desk, telephone 206-543-6794, or contact us by email. (UW Law faculty, students, and staff, use our email address, lawref[at]uw.edu; others use our web form).


Monday, January 13, 2020

When UW Campus Operations are Suspended

The UW Seattle campus operations may be temporarily suspended this week due to snowy and icy conditions. If campus operations are suspended, the Gallagher Law Library will be closed. Please check the Gallagher Law Library's hours page on  "Closures and Irregular hours" for updated closures. For more information on UW suspended operations, please go to the UW Alerts page. You can also call UW information lines at 206-UWS-INFO (206-897-4636).



Current UW Seattle Campus operations suspensions:

Monday, January 13th - Seattle campus operations will open at 9:30 am.

Wednesday, January 15th - Seattle campus operations will open at 9:30 am.

There is a current winter weather advisory which will remain in effect until 10 PM this evening.


We wish everyone a safe and dry week!