INAUGURAL SCHOOL SYMPOSIUM DESCRIPTION This year, Western Sydney University celebrates the 2016 NAIDOC OF SOCIAL SCIENCES theme of Songlines: The living narrative of our nation. Various events have already been held to honour the theme, with a major event to be AND PSYCHOLOGY held on 24-25 October titled Honouring Our Songlines: Connection, Collaboration, Cocreation Symposium (http://westernsydney.edu. ABORIGINAL AND TORRES au/oatsiee/aboriginal_and_torres_strait_islander_employment_ and_engagement/news_and_events/honouring_our_songlines_ STRAIT ISLANDER connection,_collaboration,_co-creation_symposium). RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM To contribute to honouring the 2016 NAIDOC theme, the School of Social Sciences and Psychology is conducting a research symposium focusing on two themes. The first session concentrates on lived Western Sydney University experiences and powerful insights and discusses the value of lived Campus experiences highlighting research by Dr Lana Leslie on the 1965 Freedom Ride. The second session, presented by Prof. James Cox Room BA-02.G.04 (LT5) from the University of Edinburgh, focuses on understandings and practice and addresses the importance of perspectives in research. The symposium will honour Indigenous knowledges and cultures Monday, 12 September 2016 with Aboriginal Elders welcoming all to Country, an Aboriginal Elder 9:30am – 14:00pm presenting in session 1 and a ‘Walk with the Elders’ at lunch.

Program MONDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER 2016

9:30 – 9:40AM Morning Tea 12:30 – 13:20PM Session 2: Understandings and practice

9:40 – 9:50AM Welcome to Country “Are Believers Always Right? Phenomenological Perspectives on the Academic Study of 9:50 – 10:30AM Opening and Keynote address Indigenous Peoples”

Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver Professor James Cox PVC, Engagement & Aboriginal & Torres Strait The University of Edinburgh and Western Sydney Islander Leadership University Western Sydney University

10:30 – 11:20AM Session 1: Lived experiences and powerful 13:20 – 13:40PM Conclusions insights All speakers “Aboriginal lived experiences of the 1965 Freedom Ride” 13:40–14:00PM Book Launch

Dr Lana Leslie Cox, J. and A. Possamai eds. (2016) Religion Western Sydney University and Non-Religion among Australian Aboriginal Peoples, Routledge, London. Uncle Ray Leslie Elder, Western Sydney A/Prof Brian Stout Deputy Dean, School of Social Sciences and 11:20 – 12:00PM Walk with Elders Psychology Western Sydney University 12:00 – 12:30PM Lunch

Please rsvp: By Friday 7th September [email protected] truly be scientific unless the perspectives developed the Wingangay Methodology, a Sessions of those within the community are included specific Indigenous methodology grounded in in the descriptions provided and the Kamilaroi knowledges. Lana’s research interests SESSION 1: analysis presented by researchers. Another are in the 1965 Freedom Ride, Indigenous LIVED EXPERIENCES AND phenomenologist, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, research, Indigenous wellbeing and Indigenous insisted that the believers must be able physical activity. A current co-authored book POWERFUL INSIGHTS recognise themselves in scholarly descriptions chapter (in press) with Dr Lynn Lavallee from and be able to affirm, ‘yes, that is how I see Ryerson University, Toronto Canada is ‘The “Aboriginal lived experiences of myself’. This position has raised objections Ethics of University and Indigenous Research the 1965 Freedom Ride” that it gives the communities being researched Partnerships’ to be published by Emerald a veto over the scholar’s own conclusions, Group Publishing. Dr Lana Leslie, Western Sydney University thereby moving the analysis out of empirical research into a ‘confessional’ position. This UNCLE RAY LESLIE Uncle Ray Leslie, Elder, Western Sydney paper applies this debate to issues raised by the study of Indigenous peoples whose voice Uncle Ray Leslie is a Kamilaroi man and Elder has often been silenced in the ways they have in Western Sydney. Uncle Ray has over 30 The 1965 Freedom Ride in New South , been depicted and interpreted in academic years of experience working in Aboriginal was one of the most significant acts studies and in the popular perceptions that Affairs across including a of resistance to racism towards Aboriginal have been influenced by scholarly writings. substantial part of his career committed to people, and is recognised as one of Australia’s working (often unpaid) with Aboriginal peoples most significant civil rights events. The and communities in Western Sydney. Career dominant understanding emphasises the highlights include being the first Chairperson formal practices of exclusion of Aboriginal for the Aboriginal Medical Service in Mount people to the Moree swimming pool and the Biographies Druitt in 1986, the first Aboriginal person confrontation with structural racism and its in Australia to be endorsed as a candidate everyday practice as characterising Australian PROFESSOR LISA JACKSON PULVER by the Australian Labor Party for the seat racism. Professor Jackson Pulver is a proud Wiradjuri of Parkes Federal Election, the successful lobbying to the Dominican Sisters and Lived experiences often give powerful insights Koori woman with connections to south western NSW, and beyond. Government Departments for funding and providing alternative ways of knowing and creation of a tertiary hostel for Indigenous understanding events. This session engages She is an academic leader, a recognised expert in and prominent researcher, university students in Bathurst, NSW, numerous with the lived experiences of Kamilaroi people Chairperson and member roles of committees of the Freedom ride to uncover stories not educator and advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Education. including employment, education, health, previously told through the eyes of Aboriginal housing and justice including circle sentencing peoples witnessing the event. Stories will As the inaugural Pro Vice-Chancellor (Engagement and Aboriginal & Torres Strait and prisoner rehabilitation. Uncle Ray is be reported from a seven year PhD research currently serving as a 23 year volunteer on the project by Dr Lana Leslie, as well as from one Islander Leadership), Professor Jackson Pulver leads the University of Western Sydney’s work Aboriginal Advisory Committee for Housing/ of the participants from the project: her father FACS in Western Sydney. Uncle Ray is the and Western Sydney Elder, Uncle Ray Leslie. relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander outcomes as identified in the Securing Success recipient of numerous awards for his work with Strategy and will continue to make the Western Aboriginal peoples and communities and has SESSION 2: Sydney University the university of first choice recently being nominated for Australian of the UNDERSTANDINGS AND PRACTICE for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Year 2017. Professor Jackson Pulver initially trained as “Are Believers Always Right? a nurse before entering medical school at EMERITUS PROFESSOR Phenomenological Perspectives the in 1992. She has JAMES L COX on the Academic Study of since gained qualifications and experience Indigenous Peoples” in and public health and broke James L Cox is Emeritus Professor of Religious new ground by becoming the first recorded Studies in the University of Edinburgh and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to receive Adjunct Professor in the Religion and Society Professor James Cox, University of Edinburgh a PhD in Medicine at Sydney University. Research Cluster, Western Sydney University. and Western Sydney University Professor Jackson Pulver went on to hold the In 1999, he was appointed Reader in Religious Studies in the University of Edinburgh and There are often differences in perceptions Inaugural Chair of Aboriginal and Torres Strait was awarded a Personal Chair in 2006. From about the relative value of theory and Islander Health, Director of the Muru Marri 1993 to 1998, he directed the University of academic knowledge and research and Health Unit and Professor of Public Health. Edinburgh’s African Christianity Project participant and practitioner knowledge, which included eight African universities in experience, needs and priorities. This is DR LANA LESLIE southern and western Africa. He has held prior particularly the case with communities and academic posts at the University of Zimbabwe, interests which have perhaps been overlooked Dr Lana Leslie is a Kamilaroi Postgraduate Westminster College, Oxford and Alaska Pacific or over-researched. Academics are often student in the Master of Convergent Media University. In 2009, he was Visiting Professor asked to justify the value of their research and within the School of Humanities and of Religion in the University of Sydney and was what difference it makes. Practitioners often Communication Arts and former Academic the de Carle Distinguished Lecturer for 2012 in struggle to have their knowledge and expertise at Western Sydney University and Macquarie the University of Otago. His latest monographs recognised. In this session Prof. Cox will discuss University. Lana is currently undertaking include: The Invention of God in Indigenous the phenomenological perspectives on the a rich media, web-based project titled Societies (Routledge, 2014), An Introduction to Academic Study of Indigenous Peoples. ‘Aboriginal experiences of the 1965 Freedom Ride’. Previous research has examined the Phenomenology of Religion (Continuum, 2010) and From Primitive to Indigenous: The The seminal figure in the phenomenology the physical activity experiences of older Academic Study of Indigenous Religions of religion, W. Brede Kristensen, famously Kamilaroi people, titled Dhiiyaan ngay (Ashgate, 2007) He has just co-edited a book declared: ‘The believers were completely Kamilaroi, Winangaldanha ngaya nginaaynya with Adam Possamai entitled Religion and right.’ One of the hallmarks of the (My Kamilaroi family, I hear you) - Physical Non-Religion among Australian Aboriginal phenomenological approach in religious activity, ageing and the places of freedom Peoples (Routledge, 2016). studies has been to insist that no study of any in a Kamilaroi family. In this research, Lana community can