This course engages with three big ideas or questions: Who are Indigenous people or peoples? What does and can development mean in relation to them? And what sorts of policies do, or could, governments pursue in relation to Indigenous people(s)? The primary focus is on the Australian experience but the situation in the other settler-majority English-speaking nation-states of New Zealand, Canada and USA will also be examined. Students will be hosted by the Yawuru Native Title holders in the north-west of Western Australia. They will be introduced to Yawuru culture and land and sea management practices.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge, skills and first-hand experience to:

1. Understand who Indigenous peoples are, and what development does and can mean in relation to them;
2. determine what sort of policies, do, or could governments pursue in relation to them; and
3. critically evaluate competing interests in Indigenous development and policy and the processes used to develop these.

Proposed assessment is:

A group essay (3,000 words 60%) [Learning Outcomes 1-3]

A group presentation (30%) [Learning Outcomes 1, 3]

Tutorial participation (10%) [Learning Outcomes 1-3]

While they are group essays and presentations an individual mark will be given to each student.

30 hours of lecture, 15 hours of tutorials, 30 hours of fieldwork and 55 hours of private study.

This course is suitable for a student who have studied Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Politics, Geography, Demography or Law.

Consent is required prior to enrolling in this course.

This course is suitable for a student who have studied Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Politics, Geography, Demography or Law.

Not applicable.

Face-to-face on-campus delivery with a mix of formal presentations by the lecturers and student discussion. Visiting lecturers will be invited to give a range of views and approaches, including relevant Indigenous speakers and individuals engaged in policy development.

Lectures and related activities span three weeks. The first week is based at the ANU in Canberra and will involve face-to-face delivery with a mix of formal presentations by the lecturers and student discussions. Visiting lecturers will be invited to give a range of views and approaches, including relevant Indigenous speakers. The second week of the course will start with a three-day field trip to the ANU’s bush campus at Kioloa on the New South Wales south coast before returning to Canberra for lectures on international perspectives on Indigenous development. In the third week students will be hosted by the Yawuru Native Title holders of Broome in the north-west of Western Australia. This will week will involve a combination of formal presentations, tutorials and fieldwork.