Psychology and Indigenous Australians: Effective Teaching and Practice

'Relations between psychology and the Indigenous peoples of Australia have historically been uneasy and fraught, since psychology has been seen in the past as an agent of colonisation. However, in recent years there have been a number of major initiatives, largely driven by Indigenous psychologists, to improve the relationship and to work towards effective partnership between psychologists and Indigenous Australians to help overcome Indigenous disadvantage and work towards social justice. This book contains edited proceedings of the inaugural Psychology and Indigenous Australians conference held in 2007. There are many exciting papers which illustrate the emergence of a new form of Australian psychology, one that can respond effectively to the needs of Indigenous Australians and people from other cultural groups who live in an increasingly multi-cultural Australia'.

Dr. Rob Ranzijn: Rob is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology and the leader of the Psychology and Indigenous Australians project team at the University of South Australia which has been working since 2004 to improve the skills of psychology students and psychologists in the area of effective practice with Indigenous Australians. He was instrumental in instigating the Indigenous sub-committee of the Australian Association of Gerontology. He is the leader of the Australian Government-funded Learning and Teaching Council project ’Disseminating Strategies for Incorporating Australian Indigenous Content into Psychology Undergraduate Programs throughout Australia’. Associate Professor Keith McConnochie: Keith is another founding member of the Psychology and Indigenous Australians team. He has qualifications in psychology, education and archaeology and extensive experience in teaching and researching Indigenous issues since 1969. He has published extensively in Indigenous education, Australian race relations, Indigenous Archaeology, pedagogies of cultural competence and indigenous curriculum. Keith is an adjunct lecturer in the School of Psychology, University of South Australia. Ms Wendy Nolan: Wendy is Deputy Director of the Centre for Indigenous Studies, Charles Sturt University and the third major member of the Psychology and Indigenous Australians team. She has completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Aboriginal Studies, and is the leader of an Australian Research Council-funded project ’Patterns of Engagement: The Contexts, Frequency and Characteristics of Psychological Practice with Indigenous Clients’. She is an active member of the Australian Psychological Society’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Psychology Interest Group.