Aboriginal Studies Program: Research Supervisor Profiles

Name of Project Supervisor:

Dr Michael Adams

Short Supervisor Bio:

Michael has carried out collaborative research with Aboriginal people in various parts of Australia, from Cape York to Wollongong. He has 20 years employment and consultancy experience with Aboriginal organisations across a spectrum of responsibilities, as well as professional roles in environment NGOs and state agencies. He is also currently carrying out collaborative work with Sami reindeer herders on contested approaches to the Laponia World Heritage Area in arctic Sweden.

Supervisor Research Keywords:

Conservation, environment and sustainability

Indigenous social justice

Indigenous knowledges, philosophy and ethics

Research Interests/Passion:

Michael is a geographer, carrying out collaborative research on the cultural, spatial and policy contexts for relationships between Indigenous peoples and environmental issues, including land rights and Native Title. He is particularly interested in two areas: Indigenous social justice outcomes in situations where environmental management marginalises Indigenous peoples in their own lands; and the potential contribution of Indigenous environmental knowledge, philosophy and ethics in global sustainability.

Michael’s research is conducted through the UoW Institute for Conservation Biology and Law. Michael works regularly with the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, through the Aboriginal Co-management Program and the Cultural Heritage Division.

Suggested Student Research Topics:

    • The role of spirituality and the sacred in nature conservation.

    • Unacknowledged contributions by Aboriginal people to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage.

    • The interaction between threatened species issues and Aboriginal interests in NSW.

    • Comparative analysis of Indigenous involvement in the management of Australian World Heritage Areas.

    • The role of experiential and field-based learning in environmental education and Aboriginal Studies.

Brief Track Record:

I have received collaborative grants from the NSW Environmental Trust ($145,000) and the ARC ($62,000), for research on issues concerning Aboriginal people and national parks. I have several times received research support from the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (previously National Parks and Wildlife Service), including specific grants to support Honours projects. In 2004-2005 I received a Churchill Fellowship, and then a UoW International Links grant, both for comparative research with Indigenous Sami reindeer herders in Laponia, arctic Sweden. This research is ongoing, with another fieldtrip planned for spring 2008. I am also currently participating in two funded projects on teaching methodologies and philosophies, including the role of Indigenous knowledges and the effectiveness of field-based teaching.

For Further Details See:

http://www.uow.edu.au/wic/staffprofiles/UOW031600.html

Last reviewed: 3 December, 2008