Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery

About 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 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en. Learn more: podcast.doctrineofdiscovery.org.

Publisher

The Doctrine of Discovery Project

Category

education · history · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Feb 2022

Latest episode

5 Jun 2026

Latest episodes

2 of 46 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   5 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   S06E12: How The Revolutionary War Reshaped Haudenosaunee Governance

   Host John Smith interviews Mohawk Elder Tom Porter about how the Revolutionary War reshaped Haudenosaunee governance, identity, and decolonization efforts.

2. 

   4 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   S06E11: What Changes When Earth Is Your Mother

   Haudenosaunee Elder and educator Katsi Cook shares how ancestral ceremonies and creation stories offer a vital environmental message for renewing our relationship with Mother Earth.

3. 

   4 May 2026

   S06E10: How Colonial Law Shaped Modern Data Extraction

   Taino scholar and AI ethics professor Dr. [Guest Name] interviews host [Host Name] about how colonial law's Doctrine of Discovery influences modern data extraction practices.

Inside a recent episode

S06E12: How The Revolutionary War Reshaped Haudenosaunee Governance

Published 5 Jun 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] So I think a lot of people are experiencing a similar kind of frustration, I guess, sometimes. Some talk about fixing their Christian religions. Oh, yeah, reforming. How do you do that when it's a faith-based religion? Longhouse is not faith-based. Because these relationships are real. These special relationships with the natural world, And with each other, they're not imagined. It's not based in faith. None of it is. Yeah, well, I think that the main thing, I think, the key to it is to always contain the peace within yourself, the teachers, so that you don't have to fear them, so that trust can be built and get bigger and bigger between the teacher and the people who are lost or got lost their way. […]

Who has been a guest on Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Tom Porter
• Queen's University Scholar
• Haudenosaunee leaders
• Haudenosaunee scholars
• Susan Brewer

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

28 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

41 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 42 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

50

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

85

Contact Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery