Indigenous Research Collaboration end-of-year-event

Decolonising the (our) University Forum

Following the inspiration provided by the Inaugural Position Paper delivered by Kaiya Aboagye and Uncle Wilo Muwadda “Why Decolonise the University?: What does it mean to Decolonise and to Indigenise the University?” the IRC is interested to take the stimulus, discussion and thinking from this position paper to a day-long forum.

Decolonising institutions and individuals is becoming familiar rhetoric. How do we make this an imperative, give it meaning, as individuals and collectively? Why would we do it? Who is advantaged and disadvantaged by the institution? Who has the security of place, control of representation? How is knowledge constructed and utilised? By whom? How does it maintain broader patterns of social and cultural capital, opportunity and networks of power. We are all part of the institution. What part do we play in this?

The University is the responsibility of everyone – please consider what this means to you, how you engage with the institution, how it represents and works for you or not, share your ideas and practice, your disillusionment or your inspiration, your issues and concerns.

Below are some interim suggested themes – and there must be many more – if you would like to contribute either with your own position paper or raising a question, making an observation, speaking of your experience and ideas for change.

• identifying the issues
• setting the agenda for change
• what is the responsibility of the individual in the institution?
• who is responsible? (for example, what is the responsibility and place of non-Indigenous people?)
• inclusion and decolonisation – what is the difference?
• Indigenisation and decolonisation
• curriculum and culture: issues of teaching: what and who?
• decolonising museum and library collections
• symbolic practice and substantive action: what are they, what is the difference?
• decolonising place and Learning from Country
• data sovereignty
• indigenous leadership knowledge partnerships.

Participate and contribute

• poster presentations- use a poster (can be posted in the room and online) to communicate your ideas and stimulate debate (live and online beyond the timing of the forum)
• short position papers: 20-minutes’ presentation, 20-minutes’ debate
• videos (or simply PowerPoint presentations with audio)
• spoken word. music (prerecorded and/or live) or visual art (let us know what you would like to do – expand our minds!)

By December we will have a live online presence through which contributions can be posted and comment and debate continue during and after the forum.

Registration and Submission

Contact the IRC Convenor Lorraine Towers lorraine.towers@sydney.edu.au to register your interest, ask a question, make a suggestion or submit your proposal.