Land as 'third space': towards an educational and social re-engagement of Indigenous youth in remote Australia
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Fogarty, William
Schwab, Robert
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Canberra, ACT: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR), The Australian National University
Abstract
The educational and social disengagement of Indigenous youth in many remote communities in Northern Australia is well documented. A cursory reading of media reports and opinion pieces uncovers many who can be blamed: schools, parents, teachers, government, socialists, anthropologists, linguists and even film makers. Solutions offered are legion and range from conservative (eliminate bilingual programs, link welfare payments to school attendance, send children to boarding schools so they can escape their dysfunctional communities), to progressive (build true partnerships between communities and schools, develop an Indigenous teaching workforce, support bilingual programs), to common-sensical (equip schools with enough desks for every student, provide cross-cultural training for non-Indigenous teachers, invest in the development of curricula that fit the needs of Indigenous children). Yet all of these and most other solutions focus directly or indirectly on 'school'. In this exploratory paper I will shift focus away from 'school' and look for another place or another 'space' where learning and social re-engagement among young Indigenous people in remote Australia might be supported. Drawing on theories of 'third space' and 'hybridity', I will explore Indigenous land as 'tranformative space' where Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge, opportunities and responsiblities intersect and where young people might engage with meaningful practice.
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Citation
Schwab, R. G. & Fogarty, W. (2009). Land as 'third space': towards an educational and social re-engagement of Indigenous youth in remote Australia. CAEPR Seminar Series. Canberra, ACT: ANU, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR)
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Conference presentation