'So, what is wrong with indigenous education?' Perspective, position and power beyond a deficit discourse
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Abstract
It is the aim of this article to provoke debate and encourage greater scrutiny regarding the use and meaning of the expression 'Indigenous education' within the discursive practices, research and policy in Australian education. Drawing on Hall's (2007) development of ideas from Foucault that give rise to 'Indigenous education' being viewed as a 'regime of truth', it is my contention that the widespread and largely uncritical use of this expression is contributing to sustaining deficit assumptions regarding the engagement and outcomes of Indigenous students within Australian schools. To explore this concern, I will first 'archaeologically' excavate (Scheurich, 1997) the emergence of this 'regime' within the Australian setting. Following on from this, I will discuss and reflect upon recent debates associated with initiatives designed to 'close the gap' when comparing Indigenous and non-Indigenous student achievements in education. Given the changes inaugurated by the Labor-led 'Education Revolution' since 2007, this is a particularly pertinent line of inquiry to take up, with the focus of this article largely concerned with its impact in the Queensland setting. © The Authors 2013.
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Australian Journal of Indigenous Education
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41
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2
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© 2013 Cambridge University Press. This is the author-manuscript version of this paper. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
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Education systems
Specialist studies in education
Sociology
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Vass, G, 'So, what is wrong with indigenous education?' Perspective, position and power beyond a deficit discourse, Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 2012, 41 (2), pp. 85-96