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Negotiating Space for Indigenous Theorising in Pacific Mental Health and Addictions

Negotiating Space for Indigenous Theorising in Pacific Mental Health and Addictions

An occasional paper by Karlo Mila-Schaaf and Maui Hudson.

This occasional paper on the ‘Negotiated Space’ by Karlo Mila-Schaaf and Maui Hudson explores the concept of the “negotiated space”, a model developed by Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Maui Hudson and colleagues describing the interface between different worldviews and knowledge systems.

The authors argue that this is primarily a conceptual space of intersection in-between different ways of knowing and meaning making, such as, the Pacific indigenous reference and the dominant Western mental health paradigm of the bio-psycho-social.

This discussion paper theorises multiple patterns of possibility of resolutions and relationships within the negotiated space relevant to research, evaluation, model, service development and quality assurance within Pacific mental health. This concept also philosophically underpins the Kao Fetu Pacific Mental Health and Addictions Research Agenda, also developed by Karlo Mila-Schaaf.

This paper is best summed up by Dr Monique Faleafa in the Foreword:

“This paper should resonate with every Pacific person, from the ardent futurist to the hardened traditionalist…There will always be a place for the wisdom that comes with years of training, knowledge and experience. There is nothing wrong with preferring the tried and true… Equally, if you relish the unknown opportunities and hazards…than this paper should definitely whet your appetite.”

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Negotiating Space for Indigenous Theorising in Pacific Mental Health and Addictions

Published 1 June 2009

Download pdf  (634.99 KB)

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