Indigenous and Other Sovereignties
What you will learn
Gain contemporary skills and knowledge for your job now.
As Victoria and other Australian jurisdictions engage in the early stages of treaty negotiations, the parties involved must have a strong understanding of concepts such as Indigenous sovereignty.
This micro-credential explores sovereignty and its place in relations between Indigenous peoples and contemporary settler societies.
It's ideal for people who will be involved in treaty negotiations, including professionals in the public, private and non-profit sectors, as well as First Nations.
Understand Indigenous sovereignty as a concept and social movement
Engage with theories of sovereignty – and related concepts such as self-determination and autonomy – and examine how this has been understood, historically and today.
Explore recognition of Indigenous sovereignty in settler-colonial states
Critically analyse the place of sovereignty discourse in contemporary Indigenous settler relations. Consider how Indigenous sovereignty is recognised, how it differs from political sovereignty, and the possibilities for recognition.
Examine how Indigenous sovereignty shapes treaty negotiations
Consider the role Indigenous sovereignty will play in treaty processes in Victoria and other Australian jurisdictions. Analyse and critique expressions of Indigenous sovereignty found in documents advancing emerging treaty processes in these jurisdictions.
More from this series
Take multiple courses to deepen your knowledge or stack towards a full degree.
The Reshaping Australia’s First People-state relation series
This series covers the critical knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to develop meaningful relationships between First Nations and governments or organisations, with the goal of progressing and transforming treaty negotiations.
Explore more from the Reshaping Australia’s First People-state relation series:
- Treaties and Other Agreements (Micro-credential)
- Lawful Relations with Indigenous Peoples (Micro-credential)
- Recognition, Reconciliation, Refusal (Micro-credential)
- Nationhood and Self-determination (Micro-credential)
- Stolen Generations, Truth-telling and Treaty (Micro-credential)
Course details
Want to know more about micro-credentials? See our Frequently Asked Questions
This micro-credential is ideal for public servants across all levels of government, as well as First Nations, and other private, public and not-for-profit sector professionals who will be engaged in treaty processes in coming years.
To enrol in this course, you need:
- A bachelor's degree
Or
- A minimum of three years’ work experience (paid or voluntary) related to Indigenous politics and policy, or roles such as community and stakeholder management, or communications and public relations
Or
- To be an Indigenous person interested or engaged in the treaty process.
It is recommended that you complete Treaties and Other Agreements as the first course in the series, before undertaking this one.
This course covers the critical knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to work at the interface between government and First Nations and self-determining Indigenous organisations.
It is delivered by the Australian Centre, which supports research that advances a critical examination of Australian society, culture and history, with an interdisciplinary focus on settler colonialism and its institutions.
Learning is tailored to the needs of those who are preparing to engage in the treaty process in the near future.
By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Actively engage with, reflect and synthesise Indigenous sovereignty as both concept and social movement
- Examine and apply the ways that Indigenous sovereignty will shape and inform contemporary treaty negotiations.
This micro-credential runs over six weeks.
Your total time commitment is approximately 42 hours, which includes:
- 6 hours of guided learning, including webinars and workshops
- 12 hours of self-directed study, including online exercises
- 12 hours reading
- 12 hours of assessment tasks.
Assessment:
- Indigenous sovereignty today: Discussion board contributions and concept map (40%)
- Sovereignty and treaty: summary statement (60%).
Indigenous and Other Sovereignties can be taken as a stand-alone course or complemented with any other micro-credential in the Reshaping Australia’s First People-State Relations series to deepen your knowledge and skills.
The series includes:
- Treaties and Other Agreements
- Indigenous and Other Sovereignties
- Lawful Relations with Indigenous Peoples
- Recognition, Reconciliation, Refusal
It is recommended you complete Treaties and Other Agreements as the first course in this series.
The Reshaping Australia’s First People-State Relationsseries provides learners with a pathway into the Professional Certificate in Treaty.
Learners who have completed all four micro-credentials in the Reshaping Australia’s First People-State Relations series, and the course Indigenous Governance Principles, will be awarded the Professional Certificate in Treaty.
This course includes both guided and self-directed learning, to provide both flexibility and support.
Learning activities and resources include a pre-recorded lecture and a mock debate, as well as essential reading and audiovisual resources that bring key concepts to life.
You'll also contribute to the online discussion board and receive valuable guidance and feedback from your course facilitator throughout the course.