Lessons in Legitimacy

An examination of how early state schooling in British Columbia taught students the legitimacy of settler capitalism.

Between 1849 and 1930, government-assisted schooling in British Columbia supported the development of a capitalist settler society. These institutions administered different systems that trained Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in their unequal roles in the emerging social order. Lessons in Legitimacy examines education for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students--through public schools, Indian Day Schools, and Indian Residential Schools--and how educational institutions normalized settler capitalism and its making of British Columbia.

Combining insights from history, Indigenous studies, historical materialism, and political economy, Lessons in Legitimacy reveals how a historical understanding of schooling's uses can inform contemporary discussions about the role of education in reconciliation and improving Indigenous-settler relations.