Realising decolonising spaces: relational accountability in research events

Research events are important places where disciplinary structures and norms are reproduced and challenged. This article uses the authors’ experiences organising a geography research event on decolonising settler cities on Wadjuk Nyungar Country in Perth, Western Australia, to interrogate the transformations that a decolonising ethic demands. Learning with the Indigenous research method of yarning as a decolonising practice, we document and reflect on the persistence a decolonising ethic requires. This project concretely revealed the interconnection between transformation at the micro-level—event conceptualisation, design, placement, and conduct—and building challenges to settler-colonial structures and institutions. We conclude by interrogating the structural barriers for multi-epistemic engagement and learning and propose three principles for non-Indigenous researchers to more fully understand the invitation of being in a relationship with what has always been here: Indigenous sovereignties of law, place, and knowledge

Development of a culturally inclusive family based support interventions for Aboriginal expectant fathers in Western Australia

OBJECTIVES AND AIMS OF THE STUDY: • Enhance the perinatal mental health of Aboriginal families in the urban Swan and regional Kalgoorlie - Boulder areas; • Build the capacity of Aboriginal and new expectant fathers and their families; • Develop and validate culturally inclusive Aboriginal concepts of perinatal mental health; • Develop and implement a culturally secure family - based support program for Aboriginal new and expectant parents with a specific focus on fathers; and, • Build the capacity of Aborignal researchers through the active recruitment processes of the research team.