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The Global Indigenous Data Alliance Indigenous Data Governance & Universities Communique is addressed to all universities and funders who are involved in creating, accessing, analysing, interpreting, managing, disseminating, and reusing data and data infrastructure. It outlines areas that Universities must work on, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, to progress ethical, transparent, and effective data use while upholding Indigenous Data Soveriengty and Indigenous Data Governance.

Reference: Jacob Prehn, Riley Taitingfong, Robyn K. Rowe, Ibrahim Garba, Cassandra Price, Maui Hudson, Tahu Kukutai, Stephanie Russo Carroll. (2023). “Indigenous Data Governance and Universities Communiqué.” Global Indigenous Data Alliance.
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.24201585

 
 

The Indigenous Data Governance Communique is a guiding document for those involved in the creation, collection, access, analysis, interpretation, management, dissemination, and reuse of data and data infrastructure in Australia.

Reference: Maiam nayri Wingara Indigenous Data Sovereignty Collective, the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute & the Lowitja Institute. (2023). Indigenous Data Governance Communique. Available at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b3043afb40b9d20411f3512/t/64f7b64b19d9dd4616bf2c75/1693955660219/Indigenous+Data+Governance+Communique+2023.pdf

The Maiam nayri Wingara Indigenous Data Sovereignty Communique is a must-read for understanding Indigenous Data Sovereignty. The Communique outlines key definitions and the Maiam nayri Wingara Indigenous Data Sovereignty Principles.

Reference: Maiam nayri Wingara Indigenous Data Sovereignty Collective & Australian Indigenous Governance Institute. (2018). Australian Indigenous Data Sovereignty Principles: Communique. Available at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b3043afb40b9d20411f3512/t/5b6c0f9a0e2e725e9cabf4a6/1533808545167/Communique%2B-%2BIndigenous%2BData%2BSovereignty%2BSummit.pdf

The Indigenous Data Sovereignty Data for Governance: Governance of Data Briefing Paper details what data sovereignty is and is not, and gives an overview of how Indigenous data sovereignty is practiced through Indigenous data governance.

Reference: Maiam nayri Wingara Indigenous Sovereignty Data Collective and Australian Indigenous Governance Institute. (2022). ‘Indigenous Data Sovereignty – Data for Governance: Governance of Data: Briefing Paper’. Available at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b3043afb40b9d20411f3512/t/5b70e7742b6a28f3a0e14683/1534125946810/Indigenous+Data+Sovereignty+Summit+June+2018+Briefing+Paper.pdf

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This chapter defines Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Governance; provides an overview of the historical context in which they emerged; and provides examples how they can be applied across community, policy and practice.

Reference: Lovett, R., Lee, V., Kukutai, T., Cormack, D., Rainie, S., & Walker, J. (2019). Good data practices for indigenous data sovereignty and governance. In A. Daly, S. K. Devitt, & M. Mann (Eds.), Good Data (pp. 26–36). Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures.

The health disadvantages of Indigenous peoples around the world have their roots in colonisation and discrimination and are related to a loss of autonomy over lands and culture. Despite persistent health inequities, Indigenous peoples are determining the path to healing their communities.

Reference: Walker, J., Lovett, R., Kukutai, T., Jones, C. & Henry, D. (2017). Indigenous health data and the path to healing. The Lancet, 390.

This commentary critiques the power and knowledge structures of the economic, political, social and cultural resources that are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander data. The current holders of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander data and the colonial worldview from which such data are converted into knowledges are challenged.

Reference: Lovett, R., Prehn, J., Williamson, B., Maher, B., Lee, V., Bodkin-Andrews, G. & Walter, M. (2020). Knowledge and power: the tale of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander data. Australian Aboriginal Studies (2).

The absence of an Indigenous presence from Indigenous data production has resulted in an overwhelming statistical narrative of deficit for dispossessed Indigenous peoples around the globe. There must be a disturbance of Western logics of data, and including through application of Indigenous Data Sovereignty. 

Reference: Walter, M. & Suina, M. (2019). Indigenous data, indigenous methodologies and indigenous data sovereignty, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 22:3, 233-243.

This paper discusses the unforeseen and unseen consequences of the influence of Big Data and Open Data and discusses how Indigenous Data Sovereignty can mediate risks and provide pathways to collective benefits.

Reference: Walter, M, Lovett, R, Maher, B, Williamson, B, Prehn, J, Bodkin-Andrews, G, Lee, V. Indigenous Data Sovereignty in the Era of Big Data and Open Data. Aust J Soc Issues. 2021; 56: 143– 156.

This article offers Indigenous data sovereignty and Indigenous data governance as both guiding principles and a practical blueprint that can make safe intercultural environmental collaborations by mitigating against perverse or unintended consequences of Indigenous knowledge theft, as well as maximising opportunities to foster sustainable self-determination and self-governance.

Reference: Williamson, B., Provost, S., & Price, C. (2022). Operationalising Indigenous data sovereignty in environmental research and governance. Environment and Planning F, 0(0).

This commentary from Indigenous academics traces the relationship between the Australian census and Indigenous peoples, addressing historical and present dimensions.

Reference: Williamson, B., Prehn, J., Walter, M., Lovett, R., Bodkin-Andrews, G., Maher, B., Lee-Ah Mat, V., & Jones, R. (2021). Indigenous Peoples and the Australian census: value, trust, and participation. Australian Population Studies, 5(2).

This chapter applies an assessment of the Closing the Gap policy in relation to Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous Data Governance.

Reference: Lovett, R., Jones, R. & Maher, B. (2020). The Intersection of Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Closing the Gap policy in Australia. 10.4324/9780429273957-3.

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“Indigenous Data Sovereignty” (2016) asserts that Indigenous peoples have inherent and inalienable rights relating to the collection, ownership and application of data about them, and about their lifeways and territories. As the first book to focus on Indigenous data sovereignty, it asks: what does data sovereignty mean for Indigenous peoples, and how is it being used in their pursuit of self-determination? 

Reference: Kukutai, T. & Taylor, J. (eds.)(2016). Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Toward an Agenda. ANU Press. ISBN: 9781760460303

"Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Policy” (2020) looks at how Indigenous peoples internationally are demanding greater data sovereignty, and challenging how governments have historically used Indigenous data to develop policies and programs. At the heart of these demands for change are hte enduring aspirations for self-determination over their institutions, resources, knowledge, and information systems. 

Reference: Walter, M., Kukutai, T. Russo Carroll, S., Rodriguez-Lonebear, D. (2020). Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Policy. London Routledge. ISBN: 9780429273957