The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) defines wellbeing as a ‘state of health or sufficiency in all aspects of life.’ While a person’s socioeconomic status (income, employment and education) is likely to be a component of their wellbeing, a person’s interaction with the natural, man-made and social environment as well as their physical, mental and emotional health are also vital components. Because of unique cultural and historical factors, Indigenous notions of wellbeing can be somewhat different to those of the rest of the Australian population. Language and cultural maintenance in the face of pressures from the dominant culture are important aspects of wellbeing for many Indigenous Australians. Kinship obligations and attachment to country also tend to be much stronger. Ultimately, an Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian with given levels of material and socioeconomic status may report quite different levels of wellbeing.

The aim of this course is to summarise and discuss the existing research on the economic, social and political determinants of Indigenous wellbeing. Students will be exposed to a range of theoretical frameworks within the social sciences that touch on or have insight for Indigenous wellbeing. Students will also be guided through a critical discussion of the quantitative and qualitative evidence that has formed our current understanding of wellbeing. Finally, students will discuss and evaluate the current policy framework for Indigenous affairs in Australia from the perspective of wellbeing.

There is no assumed knowledge for the course.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Discuss the main frameworks for analysing wellbeing in general, as well as Indigenous wellbeing in Australia.
2. Critique the available evidence on Indigenous wellbeing 
3. Identify research gaps and possible strategies to fill these gaps. 
4. Examine the main determinants of Indigenous wellbeing. 
5. Evaluate current policy frameworks with regards to how they do or do not deal with wellbeing in an evidence-based way. 
6. Write and debate effectively on Indigenous issues.

• Literature based essay proposal due before Lecture Block 1 (1,000 words - 20%) - LO1
• Major essay due before Lecture Block 2 (3,000 words - 40%) - LO2,3,4,6
• Final take-home exam (3 x 600-800 word essays - 30%). - LO5
• Class participation and online discussion (10%) - LO6

The workload for the course will be structured as follows:

• Reading and Writing Block 1 – 18 hours
• Lecture Block 1 – 18 hours
• Reading and Writing Block 2 – 36 hours
• Lecture Block 2 – 18 hours
• Exam Preparation Block and take-home exam – 30 hours

The course includes 6 hours of compulsory tutorial discussion.

There are no co-requisites or pre-requisites for the course

There is no assumed knowledge for the course

A reading brick will be made available

There are no particular technology requirements apart from a computer with reasonable access to internet resources.