Planning the End of the World: Indigenous Urbanism & the Art of Refusal

In the first Dean’s Lecture of 2024, A/Prof Heather Dorries from the University of Toronto revealed how Indigenous knowledge can revitalise our urban centres in the face of settler colonial urbanism. Indigenous intellectual traditions have the power to transform our cities for the better, if only urban planners are willing to listen. Drawing on critical Indigenous studies, 'Indigenous urbanism' is an analytic strategy for understanding how Indigeneity is mobilised and transformed by settler colonial urbanism. It also looks at ways in which Indigenous peoples contest settler urbanisation to make Indigenous urban space. Using examples from Tkaronto (Toronto), we unpacked how contemporary Indigenous cultural and artistic practices provide a foundation for the reformulation of key planning concepts and practices to advance Indigenous justice. An introduction to the lecture was be provided by Prof Julie Willis (Dean, Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning), with reflections from Jason Eades (Director, Aboriginal Melbourne) and Dr Mandy Nicholson (Senior Lecturer, First Peoples Design).