Dr. Joseph Dupris
Assistant Professor
he / him / his
Indigenous epistemologies
Decolonizing methodologies
Decolonizing pedagogies and knowledges
Place-based literacies
Race and antiracism
Biography
Joseph is a maqlaqs scholar and linguist from the Klamath Tribes whose homeland span southern Oregon and northern California. Descended from Modoc, Klamath, Big Pine Paiute and Mnicoujou peoples, Joseph aims to shift language and literacy education in service of tribal sovereignty as well as Indigenous and non-dominant autonomy. His work integrates local epistemologies of language into community-controlled education systems through participatory approaches.
Joseph did not grow up speaking maqlaqs and continues to learn language through mentors, linguistics research, and land-based projects in his homelands. He attended the University of Washington where he earned a B.A. in American Indian Studies before going on to the University of Arizona to earn an M.A. in Linguistics – Native American Languages and Linguistics Emphasis – and joint Ph.D. in Anthropology and Linguistics.
After graduating during the the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Joseph served as a Visiting Assistant Professor in Linguistics and Ethnic Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder and the Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative at Brown University. Joseph continues to bring knowledge back to peoples in his homelands and serves his tribe as a member of the Culture & Heritage Committee
Joseph is currently accepting students. Prospective students may contact Joseph at joseph.dupris@ubc.ca.
Selected Media
For community reviews of Joseph’s work see:
Rocks and sticks, and the fight for our language – Klamath Tribes News
https://www.klamathtribesnews.org/2025/09/02/rocks-and-sticks-and-the-fight-for-our-language/
Happy face, sad face: Five days at the Lava Beds – Klamath Tribes News
https://www.klamathtribesnews.org/2025/09/02/happy-face-sad-face-five-days-at-the-lava-beds/
Selected Publications
