Transcript Ways of Knowing: Contested Knowledge

Ways of Knowing: Contested Knowledge
Disconnects between Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge
in the management of contested heritage in Australia
and Solomon Islands
A guest lecture by: Dr. Annie Ross
School of Social Science
The University of Queensland, Australia
Cultural heritage management discourse in Australia has long
recognised the importance of a multivocal approach to place
identification, meaning assignment, and the development of
management outcomes (e.g. Byrne 2005; Ross et al. 2011; Sullivan 2008;
cf. Atalay 2008). But when it comes to contestations between cultural
and natural heritage, the view from above – conservation agencies;
heritage bureaucrats; NGOs; and so forth – is that science needs to be
privileged over Indigenous epistemologies (e.g. Stump 2013).
In this seminar I use three case studies to illustrate the nature of
contestation between science and IK with respect to the management of
contested heritage places:
1. The management of the endangered dugong in northern Australia;
2. Revising visitor access to a significant lookout on Fraser Island,
Queensland; and
3. Developing Marine Conservation Areas in Marovo Lagoon, Solomon
Islands
I demonstrate that, as Meskell (2012) argues, nature does not, in fact,
trump heritage when it comes to making heritage management
decisions.
Wednesday, April 27th, 2016
12:00 until 1:00 pm
Ansari Business Bldg Rm 531