Indigiqueer health and well-being in so-called Australia: an anticolonial approach

Theoretical frameworks rooted in Western knowledge claims utilized for public health research in the social sciences are not inclusive of American Indian communities. Developed by Indigenous researchers, Indigenous standpoint theory builds from and moves beyond Western theoretical frameworks. We argue that using Indigenous standpoint theory in partnership with American Indian communities works to decolonize research related to American Indian health in the social sciences and combats the effects of colonization in three ways. First, Indigenous standpoint theory aids in interpreting how the intersections unique to American Indians including the effects of colonization, tribal and other identities, and cultural context are linked to structural inequalities for American Indian communities. Second, Indigenous standpoint theory integrates Indigenous ways of knowing with Western research orientations and methodologies in a collaborative process that works to decolonize social science research for American Indians. Third, Indigenous standpoint theory promotes direct application of research benefits to American Indian communities.

Indigenous people and communities are establishing social enterprises to address social disadvantage and overcome health inequities in their communities. This review sought to characterize the spectrum of Indigenous social enterprises in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States to identify the operational models and cultural values that underpin them and their impact on Indigenous health and wellbeing. The scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s six-stage methodological framework with recommended enhancements by Levac et al. underpinned by Indigenous Standpoint Theory, and an Indigenous advisory group to provide cultural oversight and direction. Of the 589 documents screened 115 documents were included in the review. A conceptual framework of seven different operational models of Indigenous social enterprises was developed based on differing levels of Indigenous ownership, control, and management: (1) individual, (2) collective, (3) delegative, (4) developmental, (5) supportive, (6) prescriptive and (7) paternalistic. Models with 100% Indigenous ownership and control were more likely to contribute to improved health and wellbeing by increasing self-determination and strengthening culture and promoting healing than others. Indigenous social enterprises could offer a more holistic and sustainable approach to health equity and health promotion than the siloed, programmatic model common in public health policy.

BackgroundIn Australia, billions of dollars are spent on Indigenous programs, services, and initiatives annually; however, more evidence is needed regarding which modes of commissioning program evaluations best benefit Indigenous communities. The Australian Productivity Commission called for ‘more and better’ evaluations of Indigenous programs, and commissioning processes that engage Indigenous communities, organisations, and leaders. So, too, have Indigenous representative organisations, Indigenous services, and stakeholders. To date, few studies have sought to characterise the commissioning practices of government and non-government organisations surrounding Indigenous health and wellbeing programs. Fewer still have investigated the role of Indigenous engagement and leadership before, during and after the commissioning process.MethodsUsing Indigenous Standpoint Theory and a qualitative approach, this study illuminates the perceptions of Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous commissioners, evaluators, and providers on the commissioning of evaluated Indigenous health and wellbeing programs.ResultsBuilding on a published scoping review by undertaking 23 qualitative interviews with 35 Australian-based participants about commissioning practices, this study verifies and canvases the strengths of individual commissioning models, and the interplay between power, cultural safety, and reciprocity in the commissioning space. The paper also considers the relationship between these three factors along a continuum of practice and posits a sliding scale across the five commissioning models.ConclusionsTo improve the quality of evaluations further attention needs to be paid to the commissioner’s cultural capability. Additionally, Commissioners need to develop their understanding of the relationship between Commissioner and Indigenous people’s power and the utility of evaluations.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12939-025-02675-0.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an account of the author's negotiation of a methodological and personal crisis that emerged in the course of his PhD research. It provides a description of the research project and how, in its implementation, questions emerged for the author regarding the likely “indigenous credibility” of the work, and the repercussions of this for him as an indigenous researcher.Design/methodology/approachThe author provides a narrative account of the events and responses, identifying critical issues, courses of action and subsequent outcomes. Opportunity is also provided for the reader to consider their own response to the issues identified.FindingsThe author discovered that the initial misgivings regarding the research project were misguided following a broader reading of the literature regarding Indigenous Standpoint Theory and Causal Layered Analysis. Indeed, as well as allaying the initial anxieties, a number of aspirational congruities between the approaches became evident which, in the opinion of the author, will lead to a differently rendered layering of the arena of indigenous mental health. The author also discovered that a source of his initial misgivings were related to his own essentialised constructions of what constitutes credible indigenous research.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper has implications for those indigenous researchers who may be grappling with methodological issues related to their research, particularly those considerations regarding Indigenous Standpoint and other nominally indigenous theories/methodologies.Originality/valueThe paper presents a novel attempt to compare and contrast methodologies specifically identified as indigenous, with those that could be utilised as complementary to them. Such attempts at collaboration serve to challenge essentialised expectations about what can constitute meaningful research by, and for indigenous Australian people.

The present study focuses on Rita Joe’s “The Black Sea” as an effort to uncover the hidden connections between indigenous people and land, by using Indigenous Standpoint Theory. The study aims to show that Joe’s art offers a strong means for expressing Indigenous identity, relationship to land, and residence to colonial histories; the work reclaims narrative authority in a manner that questions and expands mainstream readings of indigenous epistemologies. Central to this analysis were the following questions: How does Joe’s use of imagery resonate with Indigenous ways of knowing? How does the poem subvert official telling? Using a qualitative approach, the research applies close reading of the poem concentrating on themes, symbols, and language. Using Indigenous Standpoint Theory, the examination centers Indigenous voices and perspectives to uncover deeper context to the poem. The findings suggest that The Black Sea is not only a deep expression of kinship with nature, but also an act of land reclamation and strength for Indigenous people.

Australian schools are now under constant pressure to improve their schools for students to have increased achievement and wellbeing outcomes, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners. This thesis has investigated the professional relationships of Indigenous Education Workers/Community Education Counsellors (IEWs/CECs) and principals and how they can lead together to improve their schools for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Until now, their professional relationship has not been well understood or documented. This thesis captures the research that has sought to examine, interpret and transform the ambiguity of the professional relationship between IEW/CEC and principal. On another level, the study has aimed to highlight effective practice, inform future improvements for Indigenous education within the schools studied and for those in the greater region, and finally, provide a call for change of policy and practice within the wider school system of Queensland. Informed by a plurality of paradigms, that of transformation and pragmatism and a tripartite of theory—critical theory, Indigenous standpoint theory and relationship leadership theory—this investigation was conducted across a large state educational region in Queensland. Using a mixed methods approach, quantitative and qualitative data were concurrently and sequentially collected over two phases in a four-year process. Each phase provided a collection of data that contributed to the separate and integrated, consecutive analysis of the core research questions. In Phase 1, 41 principals and 35 IEWs/CECs were surveyed for the broad analysis of the region's schools and contributed answers to the first core research question. In Phase 2, an instrumental case study was then undertaken in four schools with five exemplar IEW/CEC and principal pairs within the same region. The predominant methodological orientation for the case study was participatory and an adaption of critical participatory action research (CPAR) was conducted in three cycles over three years. Case study data were collected from a partnership assessment questionnaire, nine hours of responsive interviews, school documents and descriptive field notes from 13 site visits. This provided data for a holistic and detailed analysis of the IEW/CEC and principal professional relationship to answer all of the core research questions. Overall three rounds of data analysis occurred, multiple logics were employed together, with abduction, deduction and induction of descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of documentation. Results of this study indicate while similar conditions were experienced by most schools across the region, the IEW/CEC and principal relationship was variable and fragmented for many and the role of IEW/CEC was underestimated and underutilised. The case study pairs presented differently and of the six relational dynamics evident between every pair, the most highly enacted was that of trusting interpersonal communication. Their strong relationships were created through certain personal predispositions and deliberate practices, but these occurred more by chance and less by systemic design. Strong relationships between IEW/CEC and principals showed they could mitigate detrimental contextual features like racism, perceived or actual uncertainty of funding and insufficiency of system support, while they ameliorated school members' capacity so leader agency, student success, parent engagement and staff cultural competency growth could occur. This study revealed that the IEW/CEC and principal relationship was not only microcosmic to school-community partnerships, but was also that of the greater project of national reconciliation. This thesis provides implications that call for a change of policy and practice within the wider school system in the state of Queensland. It concludes that if educational outcomes for Indigenous students and engagement their families are to be maximised, professional relationships between IEWs/CECs and their principals need to exist and then expand beyond the pair through deliberate and greater systemic support. The position of IEW/CEC needs to be guaranteed in schools, training for Indigenist perspectives must be promulgated and systemic provision of resources for IEWs/CECs and principals in schools to grow their professional relationship must occur. A strong IEW/CEC and principal relationship can lead to less a transactional and different type of leader collaboration, one that creates a 'vorticity' of influence that enrols others into taking on the responsibility of supporting every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student succeed, something that is more than the power of two.

Much has been written by non-Indigenous Australians in the wake of the 1992 Mabo case following its rejection of terra nullius in Australia. What is surprising about this literature is the lack of discussion about sovereignty, which is a logical consequence of the Mabo decision’s conclusion that the basis for Crown sovereignty was incorrect. What little has been said about sovereignty since Mabo can be placed into two broad groups. The first calls for various forms of First Peoples’ sovereignties, and is made up almost exclusively of First Peoples scholars. The other group is dominated by non-Indigenous people who speak instead of citizenship, shared responsibility, native title, reconciliation, rights, self-management, multiculturalism, colonisation and postcolonial theory. This article is directed to non-Indigenous scholars who write on these topics. It is a critique of their scholarship, notwithstanding its merit to the extent that literature questions injustice, dispossession, genocide, discrimination and colonial policy. The basis for this critique is that this scholarship fails to bring First Peoples’ sovereignties to the fore, and for this reason persists as colonial knowledge. To make this argument, the article identifies with feminist standpoint theory and Indigenous standpoint theory to contend that First Peoples’ sovereignties must be embraced by non-Indigenous scholars.

This study compares current communication research in the United States and South Korea. Through a thematic meta-analysis of recent communication books published in the two nations between 2002 and 2004, this study identifies the current status of communication research in the U.S. and South Korea in general, and then focuses on the status of research in each nation on the Internet in particular. A total of 782 books were content-analyzed (413 from the U.S. and 369 from South Korea). Findings indicate that the current status of communication research differs between the two nations, although the area of mass communication dominates communication research in both. However, in the area of Internet research, both nations focus on the effects of the Internet, as well as cultural, social, and educational issues. And although researchers in both nations focus on research about the Internet itself and its technical applications, many books deals with the medium's uses and effects on people at the same time.

In this paper, the research on biodiesel or blending with other fuels is reviewed. Based on the current status of biodiesel research, this paper introduces the current research progress, combustion and emission characteristics, blending with other fuels, and development direction of biodiesel. The combustion, emission, and spray of biodiesel are not exactly the same as diesel, so it is not suitable to be used directly in diesel engines. Biodiesel can be blended with diesel, ethanol, ammonia and other fuels to improve its power performance and reduce harmful emissions. This review can serve as an important reference for those who want to engage in biodiesel research, and a quick understanding of biodiesel research before.

Current status of research on aquaculture genetics and genomics-information from ISGA 2018

New Zealand has a rich and diverse macroalgal flora that has been studied since James Cook’s first voyage to New Zealand in 1769. The New Zealand region ranges from cool temperate seas at southerly latitudes to subtropical waters in the north. Here we review the history of phycological research in New Zealand since 1900, and the current status of research in taxonomy, ecology, physiology and seaweed uses including aquaculture and seaweed extracts. Some 770 species of seaweed are known to New Zealand, of which 22 are alien. Few taxa have received monographic treatment and many remain to be described. Polysaccharides have been identified from over 80 New Zealand seaweeds and many of these compounds have commercial potential. In addition to urgent taxonomic work, future research should include a national program of longterm (> 5 years) monitoring of macroalgal communities, rates of growth and primary production, and the contribution of seaweed-based production to coastal food webs.

This paper explores the lived experiences of Majesty. She is transgender, a former sex worker, and identifies as an Aboriginal Australian. Her status as a sex worker is embodied in both her previously held male identity and her transgender identity, however it is her transgender identity which challenges Majesty’s own notions and ideas about sex and sex work. The lines between intimacy, sex, and sex work are connected to Majesty’s identities in ways that are both fluid and complex. Drawing on Indigenous Standpoint Theory and trans geographies, this paper explores the tensions and possibilities of including Indigenous trans voices to unsettle the white and heteronormative thinking of sexually based services. In doing so, it complicates concepts of race, gender and sexuality, contributing a narrative from Indigenous Standpoints that enrich the trans geography literature.

This chapter aims to explain the bioprospecting situation in Bangladesh from an analytical, philosophical, and indigenous standpoint. It has three parts: looking at the philosophical history of bioprospecting; looking at combining the concept of bioprospecting linked with forest and the indigenous people, which also shows the combination of the bioprospecting concept with the indigenous people in Bangladesh; and asking some question based on the critical analysis. Methodologically, this study aligns with the indigenous standpoint theory and critical discourse analysis, where mostly the authors adopted secondary data. The proposal—in effect—is like this: what needs to be done in the question appropriation and translation of indigenous knowledge particularly of the Rakhain people. Although the focus is Bangladesh, the authors believe that this situation exists in many countries. Therefore, this research may raise similar askings and can contribute to global efforts in this regard.

Indigenous transmasculine Australians & sex work

This article explores the inadequate recognition and integration of the strengths of Indigenous people in direct practice, policy development, and research. To address this concern, I present an Indigenous strengths-based theoretical framework designed to recognise and illuminate the diverse strengths inherent in Indigenous people and communities. The ongoing structure of colonisation often presents challenges for practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and others collaborating with Indigenous people to adopt a strengths-based approach. Unfortunately, well-intentioned collaborators, especially non-Indigenous allies, often succumb to deficit-based thinking and simplistic binary comparative analysis. This article draws inspiration from Dennis Saleebey's (2023) six-step, strengths-based approach, integrating it with a micro, meso, and macro framework and Indigenous Standpoint Theory. The result is an Indigenous strengths-based theoretical framework that embraces a strengths-based approach within the context of Indigenous cultures and world views. This framework fosters the identification and development of Indigenous strengths in a respectful and culturally safe manner. IMPLICATIONS A strengths-based approach must supersede the deficit discourse that continues to be a defining feature of how social workers, allied health professionals, researchers, and policymakers interact with Indigenous Australians. This article draws inspiration from Saleebey’s (2023. The strengths perspective in social work practice: Extensions and cautions. In Social work (pp. 230–235). Routledge) six-step approach to a strengths perspective, combined with a systems theory framework and an Indigenous standpoint, and can assist in (re)defining Indigenous strength-based practice.