26838 Indigenous Leadership and Changemaking
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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
Effective leadership anticipates the organisational processes necessary to implement beneficial economic, environmental, cultural and political transformations for a socially just and sustainable future. When conscientiously employed by leaders as they establish new ventures and realign existing practices for better fit with positive societal goals, Indigenous nation building perspectives can alter how organisations operate by reorienting their strategic purpose. This subject employs the theoretical framework of Indigenous nation building to develop student knowledge and skills for public-oriented leadership that is proactive and visionary. This happens through a dynamic technique of agenda-setting, strategic collaboration, and the design of enabling processes that set change in motion. In this subject, students learn leadership qualities that can help them to reset the agenda and identify opportunities to facilitate and support Indigenous-led community development. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples development and transformation can be achieved through the agency and collective action of community-spirited leaders. Community-spirited leaders recognise the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and ensure that strategies and initiatives are locally relevant, effective and match the norms, values and beliefs of the community. Through group exercises and activities, students explore attributes of community-spirited leadership, effective leadership practices and what a strengths-based approach to action might look like in their own workplace and/or community.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 1. | articulate principles of organisational change that add value and strength to Indigenous nations, advance social justice and achieve commercial viability |
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| 2. | critically assess the impact of strategic leadership upon cultural processes of organisational and social change |
| 3. | apply knowledge and skills required to develop strategic transformations with social benefit, taking into account the perspectives of key stakeholders |
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject enables students to critically engage with the exercise of Indigenous leadership, agency and responsibility, as Indigenous leaders rebuild their nations in socially, politically and economically complex and challenging environments. In doing so this subject contributes to the development of student capabilities to identify why Indigenous leadership is critical in today’s world and recognize what kinds of leadership contribute to politically literate, effective, legitimate governance in Indigenous nations.
This subject contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:
- Intellectual rigour and innovative problem solving
- Social responsibility and cultural awareness
- Professional and technical competence
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject is offered in blended learning mode during the short teaching periods of six weeks duration. The teaching and learning approach is a mix of online learning and intensive in-class seminars. Classes are based on blended and flipped learning approaches: students engage with learning materials (including papers, book extracts, videos, etc.) before attending seminars. Seminars include guided critical discussion of learning materials, group work on contemporary case studies, strategizing 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.
Ongoing general and individual feedback will be provided throughout the subject via group participation. A formative assessment provides students with feedback to direct their self-study. A summative assessment provides feedback on students' comprehension and application of learning. Students receive a grade and formal feedback on all assessment tasks.
Content (topics)
- Presentation of Indigenous nation building as a guiding framework for entrepreneurship through strategic planning, organisation development and principled transformation
- Instruction in leadership qualities enabling visionary change and community development
- Consideration how INB principles apply to students’ own professional experiences
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Literature Review and Reflective Application (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2 |
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| Weight: | 40% |
| Criteria: |
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Assessment task 2: Case Study and INB Evaluation (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3 |
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| Weight: | 60% |
| Criteria: |
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Minimum requirements
Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks
Required texts
Nikolakis, W., Cornell, S. & Nelson, H. (eds.) 2019 Reclaiming Indigenous Governance: Reflections and Insights from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States, University of Arizona Press, Tucson: Arizona.
References
Begay, M. Jnr., Cornell, S., Jorgensen, M. & Pryor, N. 2007 ‘Rebuilding Native Nations: What do leaders do?’, in Rebuilding Native Nations: Strategies for Governance and Development, Miriam Jorgensen (ed), pp.275-295. University of Arizona Press, Tucson: Arizona.
Cornell, S., Jorgensen, M., Kalt, J. & Contyreras, K.S. 2007 ‘Why some native nations do and others don’t’, In Rebuilding Native Nations: Strategies for Governance and Development, Miriam Jorgensen (ed), pp.296-320. University of Arizona Press, Tucson: Arizona.
Cornell, Stephen. 2019. ‘From Rights to Governance and Back: Indigenous Political Transformations in the CANZUS states’ In Nikolakis, W., Cornell, S. & Nelson, H. (eds.). University of Arizona Press, Tucson: Arizona.
Diver, K. 2021 ‘You’re Not Just a Leader, You Are an Indigenous Leader’: Empowering Native American Women for Governing, in Developing Governance and Governing Development: International Case Studies of Indigenous Futures, Smith, D., Wighton, A., Cornell, S. & Delany, A.V. (eds), pp.355-372. Rowman and Littlefield, New York.
Grant, K. & Taylor, J. 2007 ‘Managing the boundary between Business and Politics: Strategies for improving the chances for success in tribally owned enterprises’, in Rebuilding Native Nations: Strategies for Governance and Development, Miriam Jorgensen (ed), pp. 175-196. University of Arizona Press, Tucson: Arizona.
McMeeking, S. 2021 ‘Nation-building through social enterprise in Maori communities’ in Developing Governance and Governing Development: International Case Studies of Indignenous Futures, Smith, D., Wighton, A., Cornell, S. & Delany, A.V. (eds), pp.311-325. Rowman and Littlefield, New York.
O’Regan. T. 2019 ‘The Shareholder who never dies: The Economics of Indigenous Survival and the Development of Culturally Relevant Government’ In Nikolakis, W., Cornell, S. & Nelson, H. (eds.). University of Arizona Press, Tucson: Arizona.
Yu, P. 2021 ‘Rebuilding the Yawuru Nation: Activating cultural assets for economic growth and stability’ in Developing Governance and Governing Development: International Case Studies of Indignenous Futures, Smith, D., Wighton, A., Cornell, S. & Delany, A.V. (eds), pp.233-250. Rowman and Littlefield, New York.