Les Sabiston
Email:l.sabiston@uwinnipeg.ca
Biography:
Leslie Sabiston is Manitoba Métis and a PhD candidate at Columbia University. He joined the Department of Anthropology, University of Winnipeg as a research scholar effective July 1, 2018. Growing up in Selkirk and Winnipeg, Les has seen first-hand the ways in which a biased justice system has hurt people he cares about. As a scholar, he applies anthropological methods and theories to build new understandings of Indigenous youths’ interrelated experiences in the legal, health, and social service systems. In his work, Les engages with different levels of the justice system and people who are involved with it, building bridges between academia, community, and the justice system. Les explains, “My work is ultimately for Indigenous peoples - I want to make some small contribution to making this world more liveable and decent for my family and friends who are made to live in inhospitable environments of Canadian society. In my work I attempt to diverge from a common approach in anthropological theory and investigation that makes research about Indigenous peoples.” Les’ research is funded by SSHRC and Manitoba Research Alliance.