First Peoples' Economic Self-determination and Prosperity in the Australian Economy

This is an economics course, designed for both economics students and non-economics students, the latter being introduced to basic economic concepts. With this knowledge, students have a unique opportunity to develop insight into the economic positioning of Indigenous Peoples in Australia, to critically analyse contemporary economic debates, policy and practices that affect First Peoples, and to explore the opportunities for economic prosperity without compromising what First Peoples value. This course, relying on economic frameworks, explores historical and contemporary Indigenous populations and these peoples’ participation in and marginalisation from the contemporary Australian economy and society. Incorporating First Peoples ' diverse perspectives, we consider contemporary First Nations’ and other Indigenous peoples’ economic activities in an historical context. Students have the opportunity to develop insight into First Nations perspectives on economic development, wellbeing and prosperity. We explore First Peoples' innovative responses to contemporary challenges borne of the ongoing impacts of colonisation and systemic bias. Topics change each year, and include the continuities of First Peoples’ practices in resource management and communal sustenance; innovative engagements with the settler and global economy; demographic and population change; land, water and sea rights; human capital development; income and wealth; participation in the labour market; and, entrepreneurship. Students critically analyse the impact on Indigenous people of Australian governments’ economic development policy approaches, including - but not limited to - those policy approaches that explicitly target Indigenous people. Indigenous and settler senior economists teach this course in collaboration with First Nations scholars, entrepreneurs and other knowledge-holders.