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AREA I: IDENTITY AND THE THEORETICAL LEVEL
OF CONSCIOUSNESS
4.31(iii) Research questions∕hypotheses, Area I - theorizing
about the world(s) of Aboriginal people
RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1.1
Mainstream conceptualization of Aboriginal worlds in which
mainstream society locates Aboriginal people
(a.) Are there different models of Aboriginal worlds offered
by government, and government agencies?
(b) How do govemments∕govemment agencies theorize about
such worlds? IVhat conceptual machinery is employed in
relation to the construction and maintenance of these worlds?
HYPOTHESIS 1.1
It is hypothesized that there are not different models of Aboriginal
worlds conceptualized by mainstream society, that the
conceptual machinery of nihilation has been employed
historically to locate Aboriginal people outside of mainstream
society, and that the boundary formed to locate Aborigines
as a group is a boundary from without.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1.2
(a) How are Aboriginal people named?
(b) By whom are they named?
(c) What are the implications of this naming for the location
of Aboriginal people in society?
HYPOTHESIS 1.2
It is hypothesized that Aboriginal people will be seen to be named
by the dominant mainstream society, that this naming will
reveal a lack of Aboriginal autonomy and that the process
of naming has created a situation disposing the people
towards identity-diffusion.