Indigenous people and the law

This unit examines the historical and contemporary legislative measures by which Indigenous people have been controlled, 'protected' and disempowered. It looks at laws and policies concerning identity, dispossession, protection, assimilation and 'intervention' or 'emergency response'. It will examine over-representation of Indigenous people within the criminal justice system, deaths in custody, the 'stolen generations' issue, land rights, native title, and customary law. The experience of Indigenous Australians is focussed upon as a 'case study' but significant comparison is made between this experience and that of other Indigenous people in particular in Canada, New Zealand and Malaysia. The unit also considers human rights, self determination, reconciliation, law reform and human rights issues.