Data Sovereignty Never Ceded: Reclaiming Indigenous Stories in an ever-evolving World - Whyte Lecture 2024

ABOUT THE EVENT

Join us for a distinguished Whyte Lecture on Indigenous Data Sovereignty – hosted by Professor Chris Lawrence, Associate Dean (Indigenous) and proud Wadjak/Ballardong man, and joined by keynote speakers, Dr Kirsten Thorpe and Professor Maggie Walter.

In the session, our esteemed speakers will take you on an eye-opening journey into how:

• the absence of data sovereignty can harm and oppress – manifesting as misaligned health services, hidden records of abuse in out-of-home care, systemic discrimination and a perpetual cycle of disadvantage
• Indigenous-led initiatives are empowering Indigenous peoples to reclaim the collection, ownership and use of data related to their cultures, histories and lands 
• we can continue working closely with Indigenous communities – further preserving and fortifying connections to Country.

This year’s Whyte Lecture isn’t a mere discussion, but an invitation to engage in a narrative of resilience and empowerment amidst a rapidly-changing digital landscape.

Your participation, awareness and understanding are vital to championing ‘sovereignty is never ceded’ – especially when it comes to Indigenous data. 

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Wednesday 6 November 2024
Time: 5.30pm - 8.00pm
Location: Eureka 89, Northern Point Room - Eureka Tower, Level 89/7 Riverside Quay, Southbank VIC 3006
Inclusions: Canapes, beverages and networking

ABOUT THE WHYTE LECTURES

Presented by the Faculty of Information Technology and Whyte Fund Committee, our annual Whyte Lectures provide thought leadership and inspiration in the librarianship, archives and records sector through distinguished speakers.

HOST AND SPEAKERS

Professor Chris Lawrence
Associate Dean (Indigenous), Faculty of Information Technology and Faculty of Engineering

Professor Lawrence is a proud Wadjak/Ballardong man from the Noongar Nation of the South West of Western Australia. He also identifies with, and has blood ties to, the Pilbara, Gascoyne and Goldfields regions.

Former Dean and Professor of Indigenous Engagement at Curtin University, Professor Lawrence has a strong track record of creating greater opportunities to support Aboriginal students, staff and partners. 

Underpinning his work at Monash is a focus on collaborating with Aboriginal communities – using technology and innovation to improve their health, wellbeing and education while fostering more ‘tech-smart’ communities through co-design. He also engages Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in schools to nurture the next digital and space explorer workforce

Dr Kirsten Thorpe
Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellow, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education & Research, University of Technology Sydney

Leading the Indigenous Archives and Data Stewardship Hub, Dr Thorpe (Worimi, Port Stephens) advocates for Indigenous rights in archives and data, and develops research and engagement in relation to refiguring libraries and archives to support the culturally appropriate ownership, management and ongoing preservation of Indigenous knowledges. 

Dr Thorpe has broad interests in research and engagement with Indigenous protocols and decolonising practices in the library and archive fields, and the broader GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) sector. She advocates for the 'right of reply' to records, and capacity building and support for the development of Living Indigenous Archives on Country. 

Notably, Dr Thorpe is an invited member of the International Council on Archives Expert Group on Indigenous Matters, a co-founder of the Indigenous Archives Collective, and an elected member of the International Federation of Libraries Indigenous Matters Section (2023-2027). In 2023, she was appointed as a member of the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council for three years.

Professor Maggie Walter
Office of the School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania

Professor Walter is Palawa, a member of the Tasmanian Briggs family and Distinguished Professor of Sociology (Emerita) at the University of Tasmania. 

Her research challenges standard explanations of Indigenous disadvantage and she has published six books and over 100 journal articles and research chapters in the fields of Indigenous sociology, Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous methodologies.

She is a founding member of the Australian Indigenous Data Sovereignty Collective (Maiam nayri Wingara), an executive member of the Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA) and frequently presents on this topic, nationally and internationally.  Since 2021, Professor Walter has been a Commissioner with the Yoorrook Justice Commission in Victoria, Australia’s first truth telling inquiry.

MONASH UNIVERSITY DATA COLLECTION AND PRIVACY STATEMENT

By registering, you agree to receive communications from Monash University about this event and we will handle your personal information in accordance with the ‘Visitors and Enquirers Data Protection and Privacy Collection Statement’. We value the privacy of every individual’s personal information and are committed to the protection of that information from unauthorised use and disclosure except where permitted by law.

For more information about Data Protection and Privacy at Monash University please visit https://www.monash.edu/privacy-monash/privacy-collection-statements to read our “Data Protection and Privacy Procedure” and “Data Protection and Privacy Collection Statements”.

If you have any questions about how Monash University is collecting and handling your personal information, please contact our Data Protection and Privacy Office at dataprotectionofficer@monash.edu.