Indigenous Women in Academia: Reflections on Leadership

Abstract

Despite increasing numbers of Indigenous women within Australian universities, Indigenous academics continue to face barriers that obstruct promotions to senior leadership positions. Reflecting on a capacity-building program run by and for Indigenous women, the authors explore Indigenous peoples' responses to institutional racism. The authors consider how leadership is synonymous with resistance and misguided characterisations of Indigenous people and scholarship. They demonstrate that leadership emerges out of culturally safe spaces conducive to communal and reciprocal learning. Providing participants with the tools and mentorship needed to progress within the academy, they can acquire the support and confidence needed to push back to oppressive structures. Indigenous academics continue to engage their sovereignty and forge their own spaces. The authors argue that greater leadership is needed by universities whose policies and governance structures have the ability and power to further promote Indigenous peoples to leadership positions and build capacity amongst emerging leaders.