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With a few exceptions, the ’world' of Aborigines did not
become a focus of interest for researchers in the fields of
sociology and social psychology until the seventies.
This lack of research interest may be viewed as a further
example of indifference on the part of the white world towards
the Aboriginal worlds, an indication of the conceptual nihilation
effected by society in general.
For most people, Aborigines were not a problem, simply
because Aborigines did not impinge, were not allowed to impinge,
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Hill and Barlow (1978)^ in compiling a bibliography for
teachers as a guide to resources on Aborigines and Torres Strait
Islandersj refer to Gale's 1972 study as the earliest sociological
study of Aborigines in South Australia. If 1967, the year of
the Referendum, is taken as a watershed, we have for South Australia,
only two publications of note listed by Hill and Barlow in or
before 1967. Of these one is anthropological, (Duguid, Charles,
1963, No Dying Race) and one historical, (Pike, Douglas, 1967,
Paradise of Dissent). Thus,published sociological studies listed
by Hill and Barlow are found only in the last ten years in
South Australia.
The picture is much the same in other statesɪ.
Reay's (1964) book, Aborigines Now, marks a beginning of an
interest in the 'worlds' of Aborigines. However, at that time,
she still saw herself based in the anthropological tradition.
She was concerned to tap the views of younger anthropologists.
ɪθueensland is listed with four publications, none sociological
before this date, N.S.W., three (history, legends); Tasmania, one
(historical fiction); Northern Territory, six (biography, auto-
biography, anthropology, ethnography, legends); Central Australia,
five (photography, travel, anthropology); WesternAustralia, three
(anthropology, fiction, documentary). The bibliography does not
list unpublished works.