who we are
About ILRU
The Indigenous Law Research Unit (ILRU) is an independent research unit housed at the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Law dedicated to the revitalization and implementation of Indigenous law and governance. ILRU works in close partnership with Indigenous communities to develop practical legal and educational resources so that Indigenous laws can be better accessed, understood, and applied today.
ILRU’s approaches to research are community-led, relationship-based, and grounded in the highest standards of engagement and ethics. ILRU uses a range of rigorous and innovative methods, including storywork, art, place-based and embedded learning, and linguistic analysis. These are braided together in a way that centres Indigenous feminisms and reflects a diversity of voices. ILRU creates resources, facilitates workshops and training, and contributes to critical conversations on Indigenous law. ILRU’s work has informed curriculum, shaped policy, laws, processes, and governance practices, and has supported claims in Canadian courts.
What WE Do
What ILRU Does
We partner with Indigenous communities seeking to re-articulate their laws to address the challenges they face today. We collaborate with communities on research projects by invitation, and we work with communities on their own terms.
We also strive to deepen engagement with Indigenous laws. We develop public educational resources to teach about Indigenous law, and we design academic curricula. We provide workshops, courses, and presentations that discuss Indigenous legal methodologies and critical issues that are inclusive of Indigenous feminisms. We train students, the upcoming generation of legal professionals, through research placements in our unit.
our vision
Vision Statement
We believe Indigenous laws need to be taken seriously as laws.
We strive to create more time and space for Indigenous laws in the world.
We aspire to rebuild more respectful and symmetrical relationships across legal traditions.
our areas of strength
Learn More About Our Work
collaborative research projects
We partner with Indigenous communities to research their laws.
workshops & presentations
We facilitate workshops and presentations about Indigenous laws and research.
education & curriculum
We develop academic and public legal education materials, and train students.
indigenous law resources
We provide access to resources about Indigenous law.
