Self-governance is an abstract concept that refers to several scales of organization.

It may refer to personal conduct or family units but more commonly refers to larger scale activities, i.e., professions, industry bodies, religions and political units (usually referred to as Local Government), up to and including autonomous regions and aboriginal peoples (or others within nation-states who enjoy some sovereign rights). It falls within the larger context of governance and principles such as consent of the governed, and may involve non-profit organizations and corporate governance.

It can be used to describe a people or group being able to exercise all of the necessary functions of power without intervention from any authority which they cannot themselves alter. Self rule is associated then in contexts where there is the end of colonial rule, absolute government or monarchy, as well as demands for autonomy by religious, ethnic or geographic regions which perceive themselves as being unrepresented or underrepresented in a national government. It is therefore a fundamental tenet of republican government and democracy as well as nationalism. Gandhi's term "swaraj" (see also "satygraha") is a branch of this self rule ideology. Another major proponent of self-rule when a government's actions are immoral is Thoreau.

First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognized First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The total population is nearly 700,000 people. Under the Employment Equity Act, First Nations are a "designated group", along with women, visible minorities, and persons with physical or mental disabilities. They are not defined as a visible minority under the Act or by the criteria of Statistics Canada.

The term First Nations (most often used in the plural) has come into general use for the indigenous peoples of the Americas located in what is now Canada, except for the Arctic-situated Inuit, and peoples of mixed European-First Nations ancestry called Métis. The singular, commonly used on culturally politicized reserves, is the term First Nations person (when gender-specific, First Nations man or First Nations woman). A more recent trend is for members of various nations to refer to themselves by their tribal or national identity only, e.g., "I'm Haida," or "We're Kwantlens," in recognition of the distinctiveness of First Nations ethnicities.

David Greenberg (born March 8, 1971 in New Haven, Connecticut) is a poet, songwriter and art critic.

Greenberg attended Rutgers University from 1989 to 1993. In December 1989, Greenberg met poet Allen Ginsberg in New York City. Greenberg published two chapbook collections of verse in 1991: Flesh and Astronomy. By 1994, Soft Skull Press published Feeling Gravity's Pull, the first "official" collection of poems by David Greenberg. That same year, Greenberg founded the NYC indie rock band Pen Pal along with poet and drummer Mario Mezzacappa. Pen Pal released one album Best Boy on Paradigm Records in 1996.

In addition to his poetic and musical projects, David Greenberg has collaborated on numerous catalogues with artist Donald Baechler including 1998's Crowd Paintings (published by Lars Bohman Gallery in Stockholm, Sweden) and 2002's 15 Paintings/15 Texts (published by Bernd Kluser Gallery, Munich, Germany). Greenberg's essays on artists Patti Smith and Donald Baechler have appeared in PARKETT magazine; and his writings on photographer Ryan McGinley, poet Gregory Corso and actor Leo Fitzpatrick appeared in the FADER magazine.