In 2012–13 Michael Tillotson was awarded the nation’s first Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship in Tlingit. Tlingit traditional land includes the northwest coast of British Columbia into Alaska. Michael’s MA thesis, in the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, examined how traditional uses of marine resources by Tlingit and other Indigenous groups serve

Elena Bell, Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellow in Inuktitut and PhD student in International Studies, presented her research project at the annual Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies PhD Capstone Workshop on 10 June 2019. Elena’s presentation was titled, “Arctic ‘creative diplomacy’: Indigenous documentary films as an instrument for building international relations

I work as the Program Director with the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies in Homer, Alaska. In addition to our primary focus on coastal ecology and stewardship education through field trips, internships, after school programs, and camps for youth, I am involved in leading a number of educator professional development workshops and courses around the

By Boo Dodson, FLAS 2018-2019 (French) — In 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Tsilhqot’in Nation v. British Columbia that the Tsilhqot’in Nation had a claim of Aboriginal title to their traditional lands, and disallowed provincial claims for logging without approval from the title-holder. The decision expanded avenues for Indigenous Peoples to claim title rights

Ellen Ahlness, political science, FLAS Fellow, Inuktitut, 2018–19 I am working toward my PhD in political science. My research looks at the role of nonstate actors in global politics. Specifically, I analyze the role of Arctic Indigenous organizations and their influence on international organizations, primarily the Arctic Council. Therefore, it is very important to me

“« Tu veux un Queues de Castor? » asked my newfound Québécoise friend. I looked at her strangely. « Pardon? » I replied. She repeated: « un Queues de Castor? » I thought very hard. Surely I was mistranslating this. Do I want a tail of beaver?” 2018–2019 Canadian Studies FLAS fellow Samantha Farquhar spent

Learning Inuktitut through the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship from the Canadian Studies Center has given me a window into Inuit language, culture, and history. And I’ve had the incredible opportunity to study with Mick Mallon, Canadian linguist and Alexina Kublu, former Language Commissioner for Nunavut, Canada. Mick and Kublu taught us how

Sara Laurino is pursuing a master’s degree in the School of Social Work and was just awarded a Summer 2018 FLAS Fellowship to study French in Canada. Sara is interested in multigenerational social work practice and in analyzing Canadian social work practices.

I am spending this summer in Quebec City honing my French skills, which will be indispensable to me as I build a career in international diplomacy and development. Toward this goal, I am studying Canadian marine policy. I am a master’s student at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs and interested in marine management

I am pursuing a law degree at UW and a master’s in international relations and economics at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. I am interested in immigration and international law. FLAS gives me the opportunity to hone my French skills in order to become a more effective researcher and communicator. Additionally, the