Te Matakahi: Indigenous Critical Theory

Description

In this postgraduate course, we look at decolonial and black philosophical work and theory from a range of Indigenous and black diasporic thinkers to get theory for tools to make sense of the now.
Theory for Māori and Indigenous scholars. The study of counter-hegemonic theory in contemporary post-colonial states. How resistance theory and praxis evolved in response to colonial expansion, assimilation and other violence. The contribution of emancipatory theorising. Limits and restrictions placed upon Indigenous options by neoliberalism, biculturalism and multiculturalism, and, self-locking within the coloniser-colonised binary. Can we maintain resistance and create new spaces and practices 'outside' of this relationship? Theorists include Frantz Fanon, Albert Memmi, Edward Said, Malcolm X, Homi Bhabha, Gayatri Spivak and others.

Why this Paper?
Understanding Māori and Indigenous thinkers and theory opens up new understandings of society and therefore points towards multiple pathways
• Policy analyst in Māori and Government organisations
• Community development roles especially within Māori and Iwi sectors
• Professional social services, education, and health sector roles that interface with Iwi and Māori organisations.
• Māori and Indigenous Research
• liaison
• Journalism

Transferable skills
• Academic research and writing
• analysis
• Understanding critical theory
• Cultural awareness