This HASS Research Focus Workshop is hosted by The Cairns Institute in collaboration with the College of Arts, Society and Education, JCU

The aim of this workshop is to leverage off the Bragge collection recently donated to JCU, to develop a research programme that will explore histories of Australian governance, race relations and development in PNG, drawing on the colonial records, personal diaries, photographs and artefact collections made by Australian government officers (kiaps), explorers, anthropologists and scientists.

The workshop brings together scholars in Anthropology, History, Indigenous Studies, Linguistics, Material Culture, Museum Studies, Visual Anthropology, Political Science, Governance and Sociology, to re-imagine ‘development’ in PNG by exploring past and present race relations. Classical treatments of colonial governance understand race relations primarily via the dualism White Australian/Black Papua New Guinean, but we argue that governance and development in PNG was also structured in response to the presence of the Chinese. Thus, our review and rethinking of the colonial project will include a systematic focus on the Chinese/Asian presence. We will seek this presence in the training of 'kiaps', in the law and practice of patrol officers in the field and especially in policy reflections by patrol officers and senior administration of PNG and Canberra.

Additionally, we will workshop ideas for creative practice-led research that engages with the colonial archives and collections through film, art and exhibition making, to engage various publics around questions of development.

Convenors: Prof. Rosita Henry and Dr Vincent Backhaus

As COVID-19 protocols are in place, we ask that you kindly RSVP to Prof Rosita Henry to reserve your space. Catering is provided.

The program will be uploaded here once it is finalised.