Aboriginal issues : Annotated select reading list (April, 2007)
A select list of readings on aboriginal issues (all available from the UDRH library).
Couzos, Sophia ; Murray Richard. Aboriginal primary health care. Melbourne,
Oxford University Press, 2nd ed, 2003 (1st ed, 1999 also good, but 2nd has 8 new
chapters). A comprehensive work addressing most of the main issues in detail.
Thomson, Neil Ed. The health of indigenous Australians. Melbourne, Oxford
University Press, 2004. Very comprehensive work which addresses all of the main
issues in an evidence-based epidemiological format.
Eckermann, A. et al. Binan goonj : bridging cultures in aboriginal health, 2nd ed,
Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier, 2006. Addresses health issues in a context of
cultural safety and cross-cultural communication
Genat, Bill. Aboriginal healthworkers : primary health care at the margins, Uni. Of
W.A. Press, 2006. A good summary of a subject usually neglected in the literature.
Co-written by practising aboriginal healthworkers.
Australian Medical Association (WA). A medical practitioner's guide to aboriginal health,
AMA, 1998. A shorter guide for anyone wanting a very quick overview of issues.
Reid, Janice ; Trompf, Peggy The health of aboriginal Australia, Sydney, Harcourt Brace,
1991. Older but has additional chapters on aboriginal history and government policy.
Healey, Justin Ed. Aboriginal disadvantage, Rozelle, Spinney Press, 2002.
Healey, Justin Ed. Indigenous health, Rozelle, Spinney Press, 2004.
Two very brief guides with an overview of major issues.
Mental health :
Dudgeon, Pat. Working with indigenous Australians : a handbook for
psychologists, Perth, Curtin Indigenous Research Centre, 2000. Very
comprehensive with a much broader focus than the title suggests.
Aboriginal society :
Carson, Bronyn et al. Social determinants of indigenous health, Sydney, Allen &
Unwin, 2007. Examines social origins of indigenous health : includes, racism,
poverty, unemployment, housing & human rights.
Macquarie atlas of Indigenous Australia, Macquarie Library, 2005.. Lots of maps and
illustrations, dealing with aboriginal “culture and society through space and time”.
Hardy, Bobbie. Lament for the Barkindji, Rigby, 1976. Discusses the early history of the
Barkindji people. A classic text which deals mainly with the impact of the White man on
the Darling River and its destruction of Barkindji society.
O’Rourke, Michael. Kamilaroi lands, Michael O’Rourke, 1997. Deals with the history and
culture of the Kamilaroi people.
Saggers, Sherry ; Gray, Dennis. Aboriginal health and society, Sydney, Allen & Unwin,
1991. Deals with traditional aboriginal health and the effects of colonisation.
Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia ed. David Horton, Aboriginal Studies Press, 1994 (2
vols.). A standard reference work on aboriginal history and culture
Neill, Rosemary. White out : how politics is killing black Australia, Sydney, Allen & Unwin,
2002. Controversial and contemporary discussion of aboriginal political issues.
Grant, Stan. The tears of strangers, Pymble, Harper Collins, 2003. Journalist Stan Grant’s
personal memoirs on aboriginal issues in Australian society.
Audio-Visual :
Crossing the line, Ronin films, 2002. Influential documentary about 2 medical
students on placement in the Mornington Island aboriginal community. Raises many
controversial issues.
Insight into aboriginal community control
Aboriginal health workers
Doctors in aboriginal health
Cross cultural awareness
Set of 4 videos produced by Aboriginal Nations Australia, 2002
Indigenous health in Australia, Video Education Australasis 2003. An overview of
issues.
Internet resources :
http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/
The Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet. The premiere site for indigenous health issues
http://www.dnathan.com/VL/austLang.htm
Aboriginal languages of Australia. Many resources
http://www.ahcsa.org.au/
Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia
http://www.menzies.edu.au/
Menzies School of Health Research. Many indigenous research projects
http://www.nt.gov.au/health/healthdev/health_promotion/bushbook/bushbook_toc.shtml
The Northern Territory “Bush Book” --- resources for health promotion in remote communities
http://www.aihw.gov.au
The Australian Institute of Health and welfare. Publishes many reports on public health in Australia
including a large indigenous health series.