Cunning Pedagogics: The Encounter between the Jesuit Missionaries and Amerindians in 17th-century New France
Abstract
The Jesuit encounter with the Amerindians of the St. Lawrence Valley in 17th-century New France provides us with incalculable insights into the inner workings of the “colonial imagination” that believes the objects of instruction have everything to learn and nothing of value to teach. This article explicates how the Jesuits got to know their learners, how they tried to displace indigenous adult educational leaders and gradually produced Euro-Catholic subjectivities in their learners, and the pedagogical methods and techniques they used to undermine the indigenous belief and action system.