Settler Responsibility for Decolonisation: Stories from the Field

This edited collection presents perspectives from a range of disciplines on the challenges of dismantling coloniality in settler societies.

Showcasing a variety of pedagogies and case studies, the book offers approaches to the praxis of decolonisation in diverse settings including tertiary education, activism, arts curatorial practice, the media, trans-Indigeneity, and psychosocial therapy. Chapters centre on the personal, relational, and political work needed to support decolonisation in settler societies in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and Canada. Drawing from experiences in the field, contributors argue that to decolonise research and build authentic relationships with Indigenous communities, settler researchers must learn from Indigenous worldviews without appropriating them, disrupt colonial epistemologies, and reconcile their place in colonialism. Indigenising is discussed as a counterpart to the decolonisation process, involving restoring and centring the Indigenous voice within Indigenised socio-cultural, economic, legal, and political structures and institutions, including the return of land.

The book is a rich resource for researchers seeking to understand and support decolonisation in settler societies, and will appeal to non-Indigenous scholars, students, and those involved in decolonisation work in community and institutional settings.

Billie Lythberg is of Swedish, Scottish, and English descent. She is a Senior Lecturer in Organisation Studies at The University of Auckland, and an affiliated researcher of Vā Moana - Pacific Spaces, working on multiple projects for the Royal Society of New Zealand with Māori and Moana colleagues, including the Marsden-funded project this book developed out of. She publishes extensively in print and online; curates and critiques exhibitions; and develops documentaries for broadcast television.

Christine Woods is the Theresa Gattung Chair for Women in Entrepreneurship at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Business & Economics. She also directs the Aotearoa Centre for Enterprising Women and teaches courses on Women and Entrepreneurship to undergraduate and MBA students. Her research interests include women and entrepreneurship, SME and family business, social entrepreneurship, Māori entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurship education. Chris is part of The ICEHOUSE Business Growth Programmes’ directing team and mentors several women who have recently started businesses. She is also on the board of several businesses and is a founding director of Māori Maps.

Susan Nemec is a research associate at the University of Auckland. Her research interests are multifaceted, weaving together various threads to explore contemporary social dynamics. Her interests include how gender dynamics shape entrepreneurial endeavours and the intricate relationship between media representation and cross-cultural understanding. Susan’s research provides a nuanced and interdisciplinary understanding of identity, representation, and power dynamics in contemporary society, contributing to both academic scholarship and broader societal discussions.