ABORIG 1002 - Indigenous Scholarship & Interplay of Knowledges

This course will provide a foundation for students on the history of the affirmation, development and legitimization of Indigenous knowledge, theory and scholarship in Australia and internationally. Contemporary Indigenous knowledge present a counterpoint to colonial and post-colonial knowledge regimes as they are played out through education, politics, law and society among numerous other areas of the modern world. In investigating these knowledge structures students will learn about the diversity of Indigenous cultures in Australia. This will be counterpointed with study of key Indigenous cultures and associated texts in North America, Scandinavia and the Pacific. A focus will be placed on the student's capacity to apply multi-knowledges and interdisciplinary approaches for both complex understanding and the requirements of working with Indigenous communities. From this base students, will learn about the importance of applying Indigenous cultural protocols in the Australian context and in the presentation of Indigenous perspectives in everyday academic, legal, political and economic work. Students will also learn to re-conceptualise problems and question cultural assumptions by negotiating appropriate methodologies to analyse, evaluate and work independently and cooperatively. A variety of methods will be used to achieve engagement, analysis and synthesis including appropriate use of technologies, film, the analysis of texts and learning from Indigenous Elders and academics.