Australia

My First case study is Australia, not the movie. the country.
 * Project Name:** Australia
 * Project Credits:** Captain James Cook
 * Project Brief Description:**

Colonalising countries need some sort of justification with the frames of their own legal and social systems to take over another’s land. The spoils of war, religious fervor, treaties, are all used. The british claim of Australia was that it was Terra Nullius, empty land. Unfortunately for the British it wasn’t empty land, An indigenous people had been living in australia for over 80,000 years, ... but that was easily fixed...

The existing humans inhabitants of australia, were considered inhuman. so... no humans, means empty land ripe for the taking. This became the justification for settling Australia.

The Indigenous population couldn’t even sign land treaties, like this one for my home town... as they the locals weren’t human, they couldn’t sign contracts. so any treaties signed no matter how unfair weren’t even recognised.

The legacy of that policy still affects australian society today over 200 years later. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that Aboriginal Australians gained recognition as citizens. Until then their “well being” was managed by the Department of Flora and Fauna. They were legally considered wildlife. It’s been hard for indigenous Australians to be seen, in a society that is based on their non-existence.


 * Project Most Representative Images:**





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 * Relevant Web Addresses:**
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_nullius

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 * Project Analysis:**