Indigenous Knowledges
Overview
This unit provides students with a unique opportunity to examine Indigenous knowledge systems and their relationship to those of the West. It highlights the role of Indigenous peoples as knowledge producers rather than subjects. Tracing the continuity of Indigenous knowledge systems, the unit also draws on principles of Western philosophies to encourage students to investigate its role in addressing and understanding contemporary global conditions. It enables students to appreciate Indigenous ways of knowing, being, learning and doing, and examines how Indigenous knowledge systems have been devalued through racialised practices. It also explores decolonising theories and methodologies as they apply to research.
Requisites
01-June-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Identify the major social, political and scholarly factors that have influenced the development of Indigenous research methodologies
- Discuss key contemporary issues which exist in the relationship between Indigenous and Western knowledge systems
- Critically evaluate the cultural insights embodied in different theories and schools of thought
- Analyse how Indigenous knowledge enables us to be critically aware of our own cultural practices
- Critically evaluate ethical issues in relation to research with and about Indigenous peoples
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Lecture (asynchronous) |
2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| On-campus Class |
1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Specified Activities Various |
3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
| Unspecified Activities Various |
6.50 | 12 weeks | 78 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective Piece | Individual | 25% | 1,2,3 |
| Research Piece | Individual | 40% | 2,3,4,5 |
| Tutorial Presentation | Group | 35% | 1,2,3,4 |
Content
- Indigenous people as knowledge producers rather than subjects
- Western philosophy and dialectical thinking
- Reality, knowledge and truth
- Indigenous knowledge and cultural interface
- Standpoint theory and decolonising methodologies
- Continuity of knowledge systems
- The influence of racialized practices on Indigenous knowledges
- Contemporary research practices: power, control and ethics
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.