“So Did You Find Any Culture Up Here Mate?”: Young Men, “Deficit” and Change

Abstract

This chapter addresses the reflexive dimensions of research with young Indigenous men in northern Australia. Adgemis charts his own realizations regarding Indigenous Australian stereotypes, violent realities of colonization and the recent legacy of racialized attitudes, discourse, and policy that demonizes Aboriginal men. He reflects on intersubjective dimensions of working with young Yanyuwa men who experience cross-generational blame for perceived failings of cultural expectations. Adgemis draws upon his own experiences of cross-generational condemnation emanating from social change toward empathic engagement with younger Yanyuwa. Discussion is dedicated to the perceived failure of cultural expectations as the seat of shame and improvisations to avoid such shame as an ongoing factor of social change.