LAW164 Reflective Journal 1: Cultural Differences and the Law

This reflective journal, created for LAW164, explores the complex relationship between British colonization, legal doctrines, and the First Peoples of Australia. The journal delves into ideologies, beliefs, and their influence on legal frameworks, comparing them to personal values. It examines the historical and contemporary experiences of First Peoples, highlighting cultural differences, potential barriers to effective communication, and strategies for fostering positive working relationships. The journal discusses the impact of colonization, including the seizure of land, the imposition of foreign laws, and the resulting cultural changes. It analyzes the diversity of First Peoples cultures and emphasizes the importance of understanding their unique perspectives. The journal concludes by exploring the need for education, adaptation, and effective communication to build stronger relationships and promote overall development, referencing key literature on the topic.

LAW164 - REFLECTIVE
JOURNAL
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TABLE OF CONTENT
PART 1............................................................................................................................................3
1. Ideologies, beliefs and legal doctrines.....................................................................................3
2. Beliefs, ideologies and doctrines compare to your own personal values................................3
3. Prior knowledge and understanding of these issues................................................................3
4. Colonisation and colonial policies...........................................................................................4
5. Develop knowledge and understanding about law and First Peoples......................................4
PART 2............................................................................................................................................4
1. Historical and contemporary experiences of First Peoples......................................................4
2. Cultural differences..................................................................................................................5
3. Diversity of First Peoples cultures inform your understanding of cultural differences...........5
4. Potential barriers to effective communication with First Peoples...........................................5
5. Develop effective working relationships with First Peoples in the future...............................6
6. Strategies would you employ to foster effective working relationships with First Peoples....6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
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PART 1
1. Ideologies, beliefs and legal doctrines
British colonisation took place by violence and taking away the rights of land and making
the land for the prisons of America war of independence in 1783. Britishers wanted more land
and island to keep their prisoners so that they would be able to gather more wealth and gain
power over people. Britishers put in a law which made the natives of Australia and first people
have no right on the land (Prillwitz and Blasius, 2020). Indigenous people are very backward and
had no right knowledge and paid attention to the invaders which is why Britishers found it easier
to make a place for themselves and form a prison in the country. The black/Indigenous people
were not treated right and same as the others which was the most important factor which is going
to make sure that there would be better operations.
2. Beliefs, ideologies and doctrines compare to your own personal values
Violence and taking properties which belong to people is not the right method which
must be used so that there is going to be higher operations. Indigenous people of Australia must
have their own lands so that agriculture can take place. Agriculture of Australia was banned and
British agriculture methods were adopted which was not good for the people of the country.
There is a lot of difference between British staple food and Australian food which must be
present. Britishers wanted civilization to take place but sharing this idea would be better than
forcing people to follow who lived in a certain lifestyle. Lifestyle can not be changed easily and
a lot of efforts have to be made in order to be able to achieve this aspect and British forced others
to change according to them (Fromont and et.al., 2018).
3. Prior knowledge and understanding of these issues
There is a gain of lot of knowledge which is present in this topic so that there would be
better understanding of this topic which is going to make sure that there are higher values which
are considered. Indigenous students do not reflect well on this topic because of what their
forefathers had to face in their own native land. This was not the issue of just Australia but most
of the countries in the world which faced this issue which made the Britishers be able to have
such a nice lifestyle and development took place so quickly (Bird and et.al., 2018). Culture,
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beliefs and other aspect changed in the colonization process which was not good for the people
who lived in the native land which is going to make the people have different value system.
4. Colonisation and colonial policies
Colonization is taking over the rights and claiming it as a property of another. Colonial
policy was to enslave and exploit the political, economic and military factor of the country.
British took over Australian land in 1770 and named it as British land. Military of Australia was
built and sent to British land so that there is going to be safety and right development of this
military for Wars and for people who revolt again British. Australians were sent and British
women and men were brought to the land of Australia which was getting colonized for them so
that they can live in a new land which they could rule and make others feel more miserable
(Silcock, 2018). There is a lot of learning which all the countries developed from colonization in
terms of development and infrastructure and other aspects like building and working for the
benefit of the country.
5. Develop knowledge and understanding about law and First Peoples
Colonization was all about discriminations and no rights were given to all individuals
which is very important. It is important to make sure that there is going to be equal right and
functioning which is going to be present. First peoples of Australia have to be given advantage in
Australia at least because they have maintained the culture of the country which was existing for
more then 50,000 years. The laws are very different for the first people and Australian as general
because they follow the culture strictly and do not want to get in changes as well. Barriers are
going to be created in the country to make sure that there are right changes and improvement
which are going to take place and the colonization has to take the right working.
PART 2
1. Historical and contemporary experiences of First Peoples
First people did not understand the changes which were being got in by the Britishers in
the country which is why there was a revolt which was present. Revolt was present in all the
colonized countries but First people understood this aspect the quickest and made sure that there
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were right actions for getting freedom (Rule, Adams and Fitzgerald, 2021). First people follow
the culture and belief system is completely different of them and the Britishers tried to take
advantage of them the most. First people are not educated enough and respect the human kind
the most therefore Britishers took them for slavery and thousands of First people were sent to
British main land as well for working purpose and train them for military.
2. Cultural differences
Language and culture difference between the first people and British people was a lot
which has to be well understood. British wanted to put in their own laws and methods of living
so that they would be able to rule the people effectively which is beneficial for the overall
working and operations. Culture of British is very strict and a lot of differentiation is done as
well in this culture but they work as one which made it easier for them to make the right working
which would be present (Kealy, Louys and O'Connor, 2017). Culture of First people is not going
to change how much ever anyone would have tried because they were born that way and
following that is very important.
3. Diversity of First Peoples cultures inform your understanding of cultural differences
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders group had a strong belief, practice, culture and
language only which these two understood so that there is going to be better functioning.
Australia is now having a mix of British and Torres and Aboriginal groups culture but the
Torres and Aboriginal groups kept up with their beliefs. Britishers tried a lot to make the people
of Australia change and become what they wanted them to but now the western culture has its
own influence which is going to be present.
4. Potential barriers to effective communication with First Peoples
There are a lot of barriers which are present in the communication with the first people of
Australia and this factor has to be monitored and controlled. First people do not have the right
education system and they are very difficult to change as well. These people do not want change
and want to adopt to the modern method of living which must be gained in order to make sure
that there are right actions which are being taken. Societies are changing very quickly and this
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factor has to be understood by the first people as well (Bouckaert, Bowern and Atkinson, 2018).
To be able to have good communication with the first people there must be good understanding
between first people and the locals of the country who understand them effectively and their
culture and beliefs.
5. Develop effective working relationships with First Peoples in the future
First people will have to change with the time because education is very important. There
are a lot of technological and other aspects which have changed and they need to adapt to them.
Relationships with the first people have to be developed which is going to make sure that there
are right actions and improvement for the overall development of the country is going to be
existing. Barriers have to be overcome by the locals of Australia and make sure that the first
people have the right method of working so that there is going to be overall development.
6. Strategies would you employ to foster effective working relationships with First Peoples
First people have to be got in the present and made them be able to have the right
understanding. It is very important to make sure that there is going to be right communication
with them and good understanding as well. Relationship with the first people has to be done well
so that there is going to be higher operations and working which is going to be present. First
people have the right information about the culture which was being followed in Australia years
ago and there is a lot of influence which that existing from the western world. It is important that
having good employ fostering as well (Clarkson and et.al., 2017). The first people would be able
to find jobs and have a better lifestyle and improvement which is going to be present so that there
is going to be higher operations.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bird, M.I and et.al., 2018. Palaeogeography and voyage modeling indicates early human
colonization of Australia was likely from Timor-Roti. Quaternary Science
Reviews. 191. pp.431-439.
Bouckaert, R.R., Bowern, C. and Atkinson, Q.D., 2018. The origin and expansion of Pama–
Nyungan languages across Australia. Nature ecology & evolution. 2(4). pp.741-749.
Clarkson, C and et.al., 2017. Human occupation of northern Australia by 65,000 years
ago. Nature. 547(7663). pp.306-310.
Fromont, C and et.al., 2018. An ancient and a recent colonization of islands by an Australian
sap‐feeding insect. Journal of Biogeography. 45(10). pp.2389-2399.
Kealy, S., Louys, J. and O'Connor, S., 2017. Reconstructing palaeogeography and inter‐island
visibility in the Wallacean Archipelago during the likely period of Sahul colonization,
65–45 000 years ago. Archaeological Prospection. 24(3). pp.259-272.
Prillwitz, K.V. and Blasius, B., 2020. Mid-domain effect for food chain length in a colonization–
extinction model. Theoretical Ecology. 13. pp.301-315.
Rule, J.P., Adams, J.W. and Fitzgerald, E.M., 2021. Colonization of the ancient southern oceans
by small-sized Phocidae: new evidence from Australia. Zoological Journal of the
Linnean Society. 191(4). pp.1160-1180.
Silcock, J.L., 2018. Aboriginal translocations: The intentional propagation and dispersal of
plants in Aboriginal Australia. Journal of Ethnobiology. 38(3). pp.390-405.
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