Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery
The Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery podcast, hosted by Philip P. Arnold and Sandy Bigtree (Mohawk Nation), critically examines the historical and ongoing impacts of the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. Rooted in 15th-century papal edicts, this doctrine provided theological and legal justification for European colonialism, the seizure of Indigenous lands, and the subjugation of non-Christian peoples. The podcast explores how these principles became codified in U.S. law, from Johnson v. M’Intosh (1823) to Sherrill v. Oneida (2005), and continue to underpin contemporary legal, religious, and corporate frameworks. Featuring discussions with scholars, legal experts, and Indigenous leaders, the series sheds light on how this doctrine fuels environmental destruction, economic exploitation, and cultural genocide while also highlighting Indigenous resistance and calls for justice, land restoration, and the repudiation of these colonial structures.
This podcast is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en.
Learn more: podcast.doctrineofdiscovery.org.
Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery
Latest Episodes
S06E12: How The Revolutionary War Reshaped Haudenosaunee Governance
We talk with Tom Porter about how colonization and the Revolutionary War reshaped Mohawk and Haudenosaunee leadership, identity, and survival, including the complicated legacy of Joseph Brant. We also work through what decolonization looks like...
S06E11: What Changes When Earth Is Your Mother
We talk about how Haudenosaunee ceremonies survived generations of fear, shame, and punishment, and why we decide it is time to share teachings openly without asking anyone to become Mohawk. We connect creation stories, matrilineal leadership, ...
S06E10: How Colonial Law Shaped Modern Data Extraction
Clicking “I agree” can feel harmless until you hear what it echoes. We follow a striking thread from the Doctrine of Discovery and Terra Nullius to the digital present, where human attention and behavior are often treated as if they belong to n...
S06E09: The Legacy of Charles H. Long Part 2: How & Why White Supremacy Persists
Ever wonder how a 15th‑century church decree still shapes who owns land in the United States today? We follow the Doctrine of Discovery from papal bulls and royal charters to Supreme Court opinions, then ground that history in living Haudenosau...
Remembering The Teacher: Charles H. Long (Part 1)
The story begins with a mentor called simply “the teacher.” From a first lecture on sky gods to late-night phone calls and a leather coat the color of memory, we trace how Charles H. Long shaped minds through myth, method, and a rare musicality...
