Joe Maxwell, a recent graduate of the University of Iowa’s School of Planning and Public Affairs (SPPA), presented original research at the 23rd Annual NAIITS Symposium on Indigenous Theology, an international gathering of Indigenous scholars and practitioners.

Held at Acadia Divinity School in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, the 2026 symposium centered on the theme “Being a Good Ancestor” and featured a globally diverse group of presenters exploring Indigenous knowledge, ethics, and community-centered scholarship.

Maxwell delivered a marketplace presentation titled “Treaties as Shoreline Technology: Relational Sovereignty, Water, and Coexistence.” His work reinterprets treaties as living, relational frameworks grounded in reciprocity and long-term coexistence, rather than static legal agreements. Drawing on the emerging field of the blue humanities, the research examines governance and culture through the lens of water, while emphasizing connection, fluidity, and shared responsibility.

The project began in a Fall 2025 University of Iowa course, The Blue Humanities, taught by Jenna Supp-Montgomerie. After submitting his abstract in January 2026, Maxwell was selected to present at the symposium and spent the spring refining his research before presenting in early June.

Following the conference, Maxwell continued his work with a week-long intensive workshop on Prince Edward Island alongside master’s and doctoral students, focusing on how symposium themes can be integrated into academic practice and daily life.

Maxwell’s participation reflects SPPA’s emphasis on interdisciplinary learning and prepares graduates to engage thoughtfully with complex global issues through research, collaboration, and community connection.