Citizenship and indigenous Australians

About this book

For most of Australia's colonial history Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders have been denied full membership of Australian society. This book examines the history of indigenous peoples' citizenship status and asks, 'It is possible for indigenous Australians to be members of a common society on equal terms with others?' Leading commentators from a range of disciplines examine historical conceptions of indigenous civil rights, consider issues arising from recent struggles for equality and consider possibilities for multicultural citizenship that recognise difference. This book makes a crucial intervention in current debates by providing the context for understanding struggles over distinctive indigenous rights.