Treatment of Indigenous Australians - Essay Example

Treatment of Indigenous Australians Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Date Introduction Acknowledging the contemporary realities surrounding the indigenous people in Australia is imperative to the ethics of conducting research on the communities. Past research has revealed that the indigenous Australians comprising of the Torres Strait Islanders and the Aboriginals have encountered discrimination on the argument that they hold inferior positions in the society. Being a member of the engineering profession, I believe that conducting research on certain natural resources such as land that hold substantial value to the indigenous groups. As a result, it is proper to understand the cultural history and the contemporary realities that characterize the indigenous Australians as part of the ethics of engineering research. This includes understanding the impact of the history on the ethical practice of engineering as well as the effective ways of communicating with the Aboriginal communities and the representatives. The History of the Treatment of the Indigenous Australians I have also learnt that the understanding the cultural ways of life of the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders is detrimental to acknowledging the contemporary realities of the individuals in Australia. The history of the indigenous Australians has roots from the past and suffices to be a cultural history that boasts of its unrivalled continuity. There have been new forms of adaptation that have yielded new vitality to the pre-existing cultural values and themes. As a result, it is important that research in engineering and other fields should address such issues. The understanding of the culture will enable the researchers to comprehend the issues, challenges and options for reconciliation that face the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. Indigenous Australians have considered Australia to be their ancestral land for approximately 40,000 years (Dudgeon et al. 2010). However, the indigenous society and culture presented greatest levels of complexity for the settlers and other immigrants. One of the major areas that the settlers failed to understand about the indigenous people was their association with land. The settlers considered the land to be ‘no man’s land’ due to the existence of vast stretches of land in the area at the time of settling into the region. The grabbing of land by the settlers resulted in devastating impacts on the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. This explains the reason behind the understanding of the significance of land, as a significant natural resource, to the indigenous people. The failure of any research to understand the significance of land whenever conducting research in an area dominated by the indigenous groups results fatal consequences on the security of the individual. As a result, it is the responsibility of the researchers to communicate effectively with the indigenous groups and representatives to ensure that they do not violate their basic rights in their endeavour to conduct engineering research on the area. It is worth noting that the recent decades have witnessed an increasing acknowledgment of the culture and values of the indigenous people in Australia. However, there is need for further acknowledgment of the culture and values to attain the peaceful coexistence of the individuals in the nation. It is evident that the Europeans treated the indigenous groups negatively following their entry into Australia until in the last century. The consequences of the treatment were the death of the native individuals, depression, warfare and the introduction of diseases that reduced the population of the indigenous people due to the fact that they were not immune to the diseases. According to some historians, the frontier raids and battles have resulted in the loss of approximately 20,000 indigenous Australians. Depression emanated from the racial segregation that the settlers showed to the indigenous groups by regarding them as primitive people that did not portray any interest towards civilisation. In fact, the Europeans considered the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders to prefer and exhibit satisfaction to their natural habitat rather than embracing the industrialised world. The Impact of the History of the Aboriginals on the Ethical Practice of Engineering Following the understanding of the cultural values and norms of the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, I believe that it is imperative for researchers in all professions to integrate new avenues of thought that would decolonise the research process. I understand that the decolonisation of the research process would revolutionise the entire research process thereby ensuring that it takes account of the cultural values and norms of the indigenous people in Australia. Conducting research on indigenous people or natural resources under their ownership necessitates considering the indigenous groups to assert the indigenous perspective on the entire research process. The ethical practice of engineering also requires the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders to reclaim their voice in the research process thereby dismantling the old order of research practice that did not take account of the basic rights of the indigenous groups. The characteristics of the old order of research adopt a positivist and empirical approach that derive its agenda from the academy (Ermine et al. 2004). However, I have understood that the old order of research does not serve the interests of the indigenous people in Australia since the interests of such individuals is to thrive and survive through control and self-determination over a wide range of resources including knowledge and cultural resources. I prefer the decolonised agenda of research to the old order due to the fact that the former approach on the revised principal goal of the contemporary research process. The fundamental goal of the research process is to recover the wellness and health of the indigenous populations through the amelioration of diseases. I support the emerging paradigm due to its focus on indigenous worldview and knowledge in developing the ethical research foundations. As a result, the understanding of the value that the indigenous individuals attach to their pertinent resources such as land and culture is significant towards the success of the entire research process by reducing the likelihood of resistance from the native individuals. The failure of the research process to integrate research ethics on the disadvantaged groups such as the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders in the research process is an indicator of a poor research process that uses the old research order as opposed to the decolonised agenda. The Influence on Communication Following the understanding of the cultural values of the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders, I have also found out that effective communication practices during the research bear paramount significance to the attainment of collaborative and participatory research. By developing the collaborative and participatory research enabled by positive communications between the researchers and the indigenous groups and representatives, it is apparent that such communications are pivotal towards building partnerships between the research institutions, governments and the indigenous communities. The other principal aim of participatory and collaborative research entails the engagement of the indigenous communities that results in the realisation of the decolonised research agenda that integrates indigenous knowledge and perceptions. Having the understanding in mind, I believe that researchers should communicate with the representatives of the indigenous communities in advance prior to the commencement of the research exercise. The communication should detail the objectives of the research and its contribution towards the development of the community and the fulfilment of the goals of the indigenous community. Most importantly, communicating with the representatives of the indigenous communities enables the research team to understand the significance of certain resources such as land and culture to the indigenous communities. I have understood that the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders consider land and their culture as pertinent resources that define their livelihoods. Consequently, they consider their access to land and the acknowledgement of their cultural values and norms as their fundamental human rights. It is only through communication that the research team can understand all these critical aspects of their research participants. The other essence of communication is its role in emerging the voice of the indigenous populations. By so doing, the research team can understand the perceptions and opinions of the indigenous communities on the research practice thereby enabling them to tailor their research activities and objectives in accordance with the anticipations of the native communities. Communication also plays a pivotal role in guaranteeing respect in the research practice. I have learnt that communicating with the elders enables the research team to identify the effective ways of respecting the cultural heritage of the indigenous communities thereby averting incidences of rebellion and rejection. Conclusion It is evident that the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders have encountered several challenges following the entry of the European settlers in Australia. The adverse treatment traces its root from the fact that the settlers considered the indigenous communities to be primitive and enemies of civilisation. As a result, the individuals have faced segregation, denial of fundamental human rights and depression while trying to survive with the settlers in the same environment. As a result, there is need for the acknowledgement of the cultural norms and values of the indigenous people in order to revolutionise the research process from the old order to the decolonised agenda. The new research order calls for the integration of the knowledge and perceptions of the indigenous groups in the research process. References Dudgeon, P., Wright, M., Paradies, Y., Garvey, D., & Walker, I. (2010). The social, cultural and historical context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles and practice, 25-42. Ermine, W., Sinclair, R., & Jeffery, B. (2004). The ethics of research involving Indigenous peoples. Indigenous Peoples' Health Research Centre. Read More

It is worth noting that the recent decades have witnessed an increasing acknowledgment of the culture and values of the indigenous people in Australia. However, there is need for further acknowledgment of the culture and values to attain the peaceful coexistence of the individuals in the nation. It is evident that the Europeans treated the indigenous groups negatively following their entry into Australia until in the last century. The consequences of the treatment were the death of the native individuals, depression, warfare and the introduction of diseases that reduced the population of the indigenous people due to the fact that they were not immune to the diseases.

According to some historians, the frontier raids and battles have resulted in the loss of approximately 20,000 indigenous Australians. Depression emanated from the racial segregation that the settlers showed to the indigenous groups by regarding them as primitive people that did not portray any interest towards civilisation. In fact, the Europeans considered the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders to prefer and exhibit satisfaction to their natural habitat rather than embracing the industrialised world.

The Impact of the History of the Aboriginals on the Ethical Practice of Engineering Following the understanding of the cultural values and norms of the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, I believe that it is imperative for researchers in all professions to integrate new avenues of thought that would decolonise the research process. I understand that the decolonisation of the research process would revolutionise the entire research process thereby ensuring that it takes account of the cultural values and norms of the indigenous people in Australia.

Conducting research on indigenous people or natural resources under their ownership necessitates considering the indigenous groups to assert the indigenous perspective on the entire research process. The ethical practice of engineering also requires the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders to reclaim their voice in the research process thereby dismantling the old order of research practice that did not take account of the basic rights of the indigenous groups. The characteristics of the old order of research adopt a positivist and empirical approach that derive its agenda from the academy (Ermine et al. 2004). However, I have understood that the old order of research does not serve the interests of the indigenous people in Australia since the interests of such individuals is to thrive and survive through control and self-determination over a wide range of resources including knowledge and cultural resources.

I prefer the decolonised agenda of research to the old order due to the fact that the former approach on the revised principal goal of the contemporary research process. The fundamental goal of the research process is to recover the wellness and health of the indigenous populations through the amelioration of diseases. I support the emerging paradigm due to its focus on indigenous worldview and knowledge in developing the ethical research foundations. As a result, the understanding of the value that the indigenous individuals attach to their pertinent resources such as land and culture is significant towards the success of the entire research process by reducing the likelihood of resistance from the native individuals.

The failure of the research process to integrate research ethics on the disadvantaged groups such as the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders in the research process is an indicator of a poor research process that uses the old research order as opposed to the decolonised agenda. The Influence on Communication Following the understanding of the cultural values of the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders, I have also found out that effective communication practices during the research bear paramount significance to the attainment of collaborative and participatory research.

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