Including us, but under whose terms? The epistemology that maintains white race privilege, power and control over Indigenous studies and Indigenous people's participation in Australian universities
This paper represents my attempt to turn the gaze and demonstrate how Indigenous Studies is controlled in some Australian universities in ways that witness Indigenous peoples being further marginalised, denigrated and exploited. I have attempted to do this through sharing an incident through the presentation of a case study. I have opted to write about it as a way of highlighting the problematic nature of racism, systemic marginalisation, white race privilege and radicalised subjectivity played out within higher education institutions and because I am dissatisfied with the on-going status quo. In sharing my experience and bringing some analysis to this case study, I seek to destabilise the relationships between oppression and white race and institutional privilege and the epistemology that maintains them. In moving from the position of being silent on this topic to speaking about it, I am also able to move from the position of object to subject and to gain a form of liberated voice (hooks 1989:9) and to encourage others to examine their own practices within Australian universities
