« The modernist structures of settler colonialism (which is itself a ‘structure’ and not an ‘event’): Eric M. Nay, ‘Sociologically Reframing Le Corbusier: Settler Colonialism, Modern Architecture and UNESCO’, in Giuseppe Amoruso (ed.), Putting Tradition into Practice: Heritage, Place and Design, Springer, 2017, pp. 1365-1370
Lorenzo Veracini on the current relevance of catastrophic thought (and on the need to discard settler colonialism as a possible response to crisis) »

Mediation is sovereignty: Morgan Brigg, Paul Memmott, Philip Venables, ‘Gununa peacemaking: Informalism, cultural difference and contemporary Indigenous conflict management’, Social & Legal Studies, 2017

23Jul17

Abstract: Informal conflict management implicitly claims to value cultural difference and to be able to mediate relations between cultural minorities and states. This article considers this claim in challenging circumstances borne of settler-colonialism by examining the cultural politics of the establishment of a conflict resolution programme in an Australian Aboriginal community. In addition to settler-colonial maligning of Aboriginal capacities to manage conflict, the Gununa community has in recent decades faced the severe attenuation of customary processes and escalating uncontrolled violence. Nonetheless, the Mornington Island Restorative Justice Project involved a spontaneous appropriation of mediation as a customary initiative and an accompanying implicit negotiation between the customary sociolegal order of Mornington Islanders and that of the liberal settler-state. Analysis of these circumstances and relations leads us to argue that informalism can support cultural difference and mediate relations with the state, although it cannot be relied upon to transform the accompanying asymmetric relationship. Nonetheless, informalism may sustain and contribute to the possibilities for transformative change by improving delivery of justice services and through recognition of Indigenous capacities and approaches to sociopolitical order.


Filed under: Uncategorized   |  Closed