Research

Nura Gili's Academics

Ben Kelly BA UNSW, BSc (hons) Syd, MA Syd, is a Lecturer in Indigenous Studies with Nura Gili at the University of New South Wales. Drawing on his training in philosophy, sociology and psychology, Ben’s research and teaching focus on the power dynamics of political discourses of Indigenous affairs in relation to wider questions around the social construction of meaning and identity.

Sarah Keech BA UNSW, MIndigS UNSW, is an Associate Lecturer in Indigenous Studies at the University of New South Wales. Sarah came to Nura Gili Indigenous Studies programs as an undergraduate student and has recently completed postgraduate studies in this field. Through this experience as a student of Indigenous Studies, she has developed teaching and research interests in exploring the role of Indigenous Studies in creating an informed and socially conscious student body. At present her research is focused on philosophies of higher education, educational policy, learning and teaching in higher education and understanding student pathways into and experiences of Indigenous studies at this level.

Born in Fiji, Seth Richardson has post-graduate qualifications in law and history. He worked as a solicitor in refugee law for many years, particularly with detained boat people, before working for Aboriginal legal services in the Northern Territory, including working on a Stolen Generations test case. He has been a sessional lecturer for Nura Gili since 2008 and also taught for the Faculties of Law, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies at Northern Territory University. Seth currently works as a human rights lawyer.

Jilda Simpson BA (Media and Communications) (Hons1) UNSW, GradDip Digital Media COFA, UNSW.  PhD Candidate Research School of Humanities and the Arts, ANU. Jilda has been a Lecturer in Indigenous Studies with Nura Gili Indigenous Programs UNSW since 2004 and teaches in the areas of Indigenous Material Culture/Collections and Indigenous Visual and Performing Arts. Jilda’s research interests lie in contemporary Indigenous material production and collection. She is also involved in Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay language revival through her involvement as a member of singing group Freshwater. She has held positions at Nura Gili within student services and recently as Deputy Director and Acting Director from 2006-2009.

Recent and Upcoming Publications

Kildea S, Kruske S, Sherwood J. (2010). Midwives working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in: Midwifery Preparation for Practice 2nd Edn. Editors: S. Pairman, J. Pincombe, C.Thorogood and S. Tracy. Sydney, Elsevier

Brown, Alex. D.; Michael J. Morrissey; Juanita M. Sherwood 2006 'Uncovering the Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease among Indigenous People' Ethnicity & Health, Volume 11, Issue 2 May 2006 , pages 191 - 210.

Keech, S., Keenan, T., Kelly, B., Sherwood, J. 2010 ‘Growing Respect through Indigenous Studies’ Indigenous Issues Australian Council for Educational Research (Published November 2010)

Keech, S. 2009 ‘Literature Review and Recommendations’ in Department of Juvenile Justice (2009) Joint Tenancy Assistance Program Review Report, (Internal Release) (ed) Shefali, R., June. pp. 87-104.

Keech, S. 2009 ‘Capacity Building: Whose capacity? Understanding what is involved in research and how this influences our conceptualisations of capacity building’ in Sherwood, J., Blaxland, M., Collins, R., Flaxman, S., Keenan, T., Kelly, B., Parkes, E. (2009) Setting the course for Indigenous Research Methodologies (a paper to be published in 2010).

Keech, S. 2009 ‘Gender and Development’ presented at University of Sydney Postgraduate Workshop on Development Organisations and Issues in Development., SISWP, November, 2009.

Kelly, B.L. (2009) Conflict and collaboration: a sociology of knowledge production in the field of Indigenous Studies, Australian Social Policy Conference, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW, 7-10 July 2009

Kelly, B. L., & Keenan, T. (2010) ‘How to inform a more just and reconciled society? Social justice is an education issue’ Paper to be delivered at The Inaugural National Indigenous Policy and Dialogue Conference – Indigenous Policy and Dialogue: New Relationships, New Possibilities 18-19 November 2010 UNSW.

Ampt, A., Watts, L., Sherwood, J., & Keenan, T. (2010-2011) ‘Indigenous medical students’ perceptions of the academic preparatory role of the Pre-Medicine Program’, Research Project by Rural Clinical School in collaboration with Nura Gili Indigenous Programs.

Keenan, T., Kelly, B. L., Keech, S. & Sherwood, J. (Forthcoming book chapter) ‘Indigenous Studies: Teaching and Learning Together), Australian Council for Educational Research.

Watts, L., Amanda Ampt, Tessa Keenan, Dr Juanita Sherwood (2011) “When they give you the nod, they give you the confidence”: Indigenous medical students’ perceptions of the Pre-Medicine Program. Paper presented at the 11th National Rural Health Conference, Perth, March 2011.