US settler colonialism is an on-going process—one that gains legitimacy through a sticky network of legal rulings that often violate the First Amendment right to religious freedom. But what exactly do we mean by “religious freedom”? Who exactly is protected by the First Amendment? And who do we even consider fully human in the first place? Join James Coppa, educator at the Institute For American Indian Studies and Masters’ student at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, for an in-depth look at the theological foundations of the United States and how the courts legalized land theft in a burgeoning democracy. Through an Indigenous-centered perspective on American case law, we can more clearly see how the current environmental crisis, the displacement and genocide of Native peoples, and Christian nationalism are interwoven, mutually reinforcing each other up through the present day.
Please register below in order to receive a Zoom link. Questions? Please email events@iaismuseum.org or call (860) 868 0518.
