Research seeks ‘check in’ with First Nations academics
CQUniversity research is offering Indigenous academics a chance to take stock of their careers and wellbeing, to help assess how Australian universities are managing 'colonial load' carried by First Nations people.
Led by Arrernte woman and CQUniversity First Nations Studies academic Dr Vicki Pascoe, the research is exploring how university workplaces across regional Australia are impacting health and wellbeing for First Nations staff.
“It’s a particularly challenging time in higher education for First Nations people – and for a lot of well-meaning reasons!” Dr Pascoe explained.
“Universities are trying to decolonise the curriculum, they’re rolling out their Reconciliation Action Plans, they’re developing strategies to increase Indigenous staff and student numbers – but all this work puts a burden on First Nations academics, and there just aren’t that many of us!” she said.
'Colonial load' is work initiated by non-Indigenous Australians to address systemic injustice created by colonisation, with expectation that First Nations people will contribute.
"The colonial load being placed on First Nations academics is increasing while staff numbers are declining, making succession planning difficult," Dr Pascoe said.
First Nations academics who are working at regional universities can take the survey here.
Dr Pascoe's research is targeting regional universities, which have some of Australia’s highest proportions of Indigenous academics.
She said the work also aims to explore ways to create better pathways to leadership.
Survey questions include how often participants are asked to provide advice and leadership in community engagement and course content development, and how often they are asked to conduct Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country.
Dr Pascoe hopes the research can provide a “welfare check” for people managing the growing colonial load, and understand what supports are working, and what issues have prompted First Nations people to leave.
Dr Pascoe, who has worked and studied across the sector, said she had regularly seen racist attitudes across her past three decades in academia.
“Even recently, seeing staff display YES signs on campus for the Referendum, and then someone coming along and ripping them down – it’s still disappointing to know those attitudes are out there,” she said.
Indigenous academics working at regional universities are invited to complete an anonymous online survey, and reflect on questions about work and cultural demands, and stress, health and wellbeing.
Dr Pascoe said participants will then have options to share their contact details, separate to their survey responses, to participate in an interview to share their experiences as a First Nations academic.
The research is funded by an internal CQUniversity research grant, and Dr Pascoe is conducting this research with CQUniversity Psychology academic Dr Cassy Dittman and Health Economics academic Dr Chris Doran.
The trio are members of the Manna Institute, conducting research to address the complex mental health needs of regional Australia as an urgent, national social justice issue.
CQUniversity PhD candidate Nadia Cowperthwaite is also supporting the study.
