Dr Federica Caso, Dr Binota Dhamai, Dr Kim Alley, Ms Sulagna Basu, Dr Sylvia Frain
1La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
Biography:
Federica Caso is a lecturer in International Relations at La Trobe University. Her research examines how the inclusion of gender and racial diversity in the military shapes defence and society and her main project investigates Indigenous military inclusion, settler politics, and reconciliation. She received multiple early career research awards, and her book Settler Military Politics was published in 2024 by Edinburgh University Press. She is also co-chair of the Women Caucus of the Australian Political Studies Association.
Abstract:
This roundtable interrogates the multifaceted impacts of militarisation on the lives and livelihood of Indigenous Peoples. The starting point for this roundtable discussion is the report prepared by the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on the impact of militarisation on the rights of Indigenous Peoples released in 2023. The report defines militarisation as encompassing any type of military strategy or activity of a military nature including supply facilities, bases, or national security operations emphasising its historical and ongoing role in colonisation and struggles for decolonisation. The scholars in this roundtable offer nuanced insights into how militarisation shapes Indigenous Peoples’ identity, lands, and resources. They examine the diverse ways Indigenous Peoples navigate these challenges, from confronting threats to their sovereignty and cultural heritage to leveraging opportunities for resistance and advocacy. By exploring the complexities of militarisation and its entanglements with land, identity, and self-determination, the roundtable seeks to illuminate the resilience of Indigenous communities and their strategies for asserting their rights in militarised contexts. This session aims to foster dialogue on the global dimensions of militarisation and its specific impacts on Indigenous Peoples, encouraging reflection on pathways to decolonisation, justice, and solidarity.