IRES Library Book Spotlight: Decolonizing Journalism by Duncan McCue

For our newsletter, we would like to begin highlighting books in our IRES Library. This month, we’re excited to be highlighting Decolonizing Journalism: A Guide to Reporting in Indigenous Communities by Duncan McCue – a personal favorite of mine! It is a book that offers insight to anyone interested in storytelling that centers Native American/Indigenous voices.  

McCue, an Anishinaabe journalist and educator, offers a look into what it really means to report with Indigenous communities rather than on them. This book blends guidance, reflection and conversations with other Indigenous media folks who share their experiences navigating mainstream journalism while staying grounded in community values. 

Throughout the book, McCue outlines principles for trauma-informed reporting, navigating cultural protocols, and developing consent based approaches to interviews and coverage. What stands out to me is how McCue’s writing feels grounded– in each chapter, he ties relationships, accountability, and humility together so well. McCue, throughout the book, reminds us that good reporting doesn't come from chasing headlines but from listening and showing up, highlighting the importance of reciprocity.

For those who work in Indigenous communities or plan to work with indigenous communities, not only in media but generally,  this book is both a great resource and mirror– this book makes you reflect on our own approaches to media and the power dynamics within them, but also how to look at our own approaches to on how we uplift Native American/Indigenous voices.  

“As you set out to research and report in Indigenous communities, let once principle guide you: respect. Respect is deeply embedded within traditional Indigenous teachings and it’s a fundamental clause not always appreciated by outsiders or extended to Indigenous Peoples.” (McCue, 2022)

This book will continue to guide the way I approach my storytelling. As I get ready to graduate this December with my M.A. in Global Media, McCue’s message feels really close to the kind of work I’ve been doing at IRes. So much of my role here—whether it’s storytelling, photography, or helping shape our communications—centers on lifting up Native American/Indigenous voices in a way that feels respectful and community-driven. This book has helped me think more deeply about how I want to carry those values forward after I graduate, both in my career and in the stories I choose to tell.