26836 Indigenous Nation Building & Governance
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 3 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade and marksThere are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
Indigenous nation building (or rebuilding) is a relatively new term in Australia but is increasing in prominence as governments, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and academics adopt it as practice and analyse its effects. Indigenous nation building (INB) describes the process by which Indigenous nations and communities in Australia and internationally create the necessary institutional and strategic foundations to achieve self-determined goals. Business organisations and entrepreneurs can play an important role in supporting the revitalisation of Indigenous nation structures and self-determined economic development.
This subject examines the development challenges faced by contemporary Indigenous nations throughout the world. The subject is built upon extensive North American and Australian research that finds that political self-governance is a more important factor to Indigenous nations being able to achieve their economic and community development goals than any other factor. Those Indigenous nations or communities working to put in place the necessary institutional and strategic foundations to achieve sustainable self-governance – nations that are Indigenous nation building (or rebuilding) – are those able to achieve their self-determined goals. Using case studies and research from Australia and North America on what is working and what is not working to promote the social, political, cultural and economic strengthening of Indigenous nations, this subject reviews Indigenous nation building and the challenges it faces in Australia. Students engage with leading Australian and international Indigenous nation building theorists and Indigenous community practitioners to explore Indigenous nation building as a governance and community planning tool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations and communities.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 1. | analyse North American and Australian research and Indigenous nation building principles to determine implications for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous peoples |
|---|---|
| 2. | critically evaluate the impact in Australia of settler-colonisation policy on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples |
| 3. | apply the principles of Indigenous nation building and Indigenous political governance using examples and/or case studies arising from their own experience |
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject sets the context and foundations for the Indigenous nation building specialization. It will introduce students to Indigenous nation building processes and the challenges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities face in applying INB principles and research.
In doing so, it contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:
- Intellectual rigour and innovative problem solving
- Social responsibility and cultural awareness
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject is offered in blended learning mode over six weeks duration. The teaching and learning approach is a mix of online learning and one intensive seminar scheduled over two consecutive days. The subject utilises various learning approaches including student engagement with learning materials (including papers, book extracts, videos, etc.) before attending the seminar. During weeks 1-6, students will be required to participate in an online forum to discuss assigned readings.
The two day seminar includes group work on contemporary case studies, presentations including a variety of Indigenous nation building scenarios, peer discussions and learning from students own professional experiences.
Discussions and application of theory, case studies and best practices are supported by online learning and communication tools and the UTS learning management system.
The seminar will be interactive using case studies and facilitated discussion that will provide opportunities for students to discuss concepts and share their views with their peers. Feedback on the first assessment will be provided in online comments to students on their questions and responses. Feedback will be provided on the second assessment through discussion during the seminar. Students will receive formal feedback on the third assessment task related on their comprehension of evidence and concepts covered during the course and application of learning.
Content (topics)
- Indigenous nation building (INB) challenges in Australia
- Ongoing settler-colonisation and its impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Ongoing settler-colonisation and its impact on settler-colonial government policy
- The standard approach versus the INB approach
- Changing the settler-colonial conversation
- Governance and why it matters for Indigenous peoples in Australia and worldwide
- Indigenous nation building (INB) and the research foundation of the INB approach
- North American research findings
- Australian research findings
- Implications of the research findings
- for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and
- for settler-colonial governments
- Corporate governance and political governance
- Models of Indigenous self-government
- Indigenous nation building (INB) and the research foundation of the INB approach
- Building Indigenous governing institutions
- Identifying, organising and acting as Indigenous nations
- Identifying vehicles for the exercise of Indigenous self-determination
- Australian and international examples of INB
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Reading reflections (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 30% |
| Criteria: |
|
Assessment task 2: Scenario based application of concepts (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 70% |
| Criteria: |
|
Minimum requirements
Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks
Required texts
Miriam Jorgensen (ed), Rebuilding Native Nations: Strategies for Governance and Development (University of Arizona Press, 2007).
References
Bignall, Simone, ‘The collaborative struggle for excolonialism’ (2014) 4(4) Settler Colonial Studies 340-356.
Cornell, Stephen, ‘Processes of Native Nationhood: The Indigenous Politics of Self-Government’ (2015) 6(4) International Indigenous Policy Journal Article 4.
Hemming, Steve and Daryle Rigney, ‘Unsettling sustainability: Ngarrindjeri political literacies, strategies of engagement and transformation’ (2008) 22(6) Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies 757-775.
Murray, Donna and Debra Evans, ‘Culturally Centred, Community Led: Wiradjuri Nation Rebuilding through Honouring the Wiradjuri Way’ in Diane Smith, Alice Wighton, Stephen Cornell and Adam Vai Delaney (eds) Developing Governance and Governing Development International Case Studies of Indigenous Futures (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) 165-186.
Rigney, Daryle, Bell, Damein and Vivian, Alison, ‘Talking Treaty: A Conversation on how Indigenous Nations can become Treaty Ready’ in Harry Hobbs, Alison, Whittaker and Lindon Coombes (eds). Treaty-making : Two hundred and fifty years later (The Federation Press, 2021a) 17-42.
Rigney, Daryle, Bignall, Simone, Vivian, Alison, Hemming, Steve, Berg, Shaun and Bell, Damein (2021b) ‘Treating Treaty as a Technology for Indigenous Nation Building’ in Diane Smith, Alice Wighton, Stephen Cornell and Adam Vai Delaney (eds) Developing governance and governing development: International case studies of Indigenous futures (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021b) 119-140.
Strakosch, Elizabeth (2019) The technical Is political: Settler-colonialism and the Australian Indigenous policy system (2019) Australian Journal of Political Science 54(1): 114-130.
Vivian, Alison, Miriam Jorgensen, Alexander Reilly, Mark McMillan, Cosima McRae and John McMinn, Indigenous Self-Government in the Australian Federation (2018) 20 Australian Indigenous Law Review 215-242.