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Prof Will Christensen

Image of Staff Member
    • Role:
    • Head of School
    • Department:
    • School of Social Sci & Asian Languages
    • Location:
    • Humanities 330
    • Telephone:
    • +61 8 9266 4997

Will is Associate Professor in Anthropology at Curtin University of Technology. He completed his PhD in anthropology at the University of Western Australia in 1981. His thesis research focused Aboriginal fringedwellers of Kalgoorlie. Since then, Will has undertaken further research in the Eastern Goldfields as well as projects in South-West and Kimberley regions of Western Australia. Will has strong links with the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin, serving on its Advisory Committee and contributing to its research and teaching programs.

Will has served for many years in academic leadership positions. Among the major positions he has held at Curtin are Head of the School of Social Sciences and Asian Language (1989-95), Chair of University Academic Board (1991-93), Acting Executive Dean of Humanities 199-99, Acting Director of the Centre for Educational Advancement (2000), and Director of the John Curtin International Institute (2001-02).

Will has served on the executive committees of a variety of professional bodies, including the Australian Anthropological Society, the Australian Association for Applied Anthropology (now absorbed in the AAS), and the Anthropological Society of Western Australia.

Will has contributed to a range of number of governmental and service agency advisory committees. He has a strong commitment to social justice and social amelioration, a particular interest in the sociological challenges faced by agencies involved in social justice advocacy and service delivery.

Research Interests

Will was the principal anthropological consultant for the landmark Miriuwung Gajerrong native title claim, on which he has published. He has also contributed informally to a number of other claims in the Pilbara and Eastern Goldfields regions. Apart from native title, his current research interests are Indigenous governance, community sustainability, and economic development.

Memberships

  • MAIATSIS;
  • FAAS.

Publications

Book Chapters (Authored, Research Quality)

  • Christensen, W. 2004. Afterword. In Crossing Boundaries: Cultural, legal historical and practice issues in native title, eds Sandy Toussaint, 202-206. Melbourne, Victoria: Melbourne University Press.
  • Christensen, W. 2004. Contextualising Native Title, and this Volume. In Crossing Boundaries: Cultural, legal, historical and practice issues in native title, eds Sandy Toussaint, 176-194. Melbourne, Victoria: Melbourne University Press.
  • Christensen, W. 2003. Essay. In I Want To Paint, 54-63. Perth, Western Australia: Heytesbury Pty Ltd T/as the Holmes a Court Gallery.

Refereed Articles (Scholarly Journals)

  • Christensen, W, Coldrick, B, and McDonald, E. 2008. The Green Frog and Desalination: A Nyungar Metaphor for the (Mis-) Management of Water Resources, Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia. Oceania 78(1): 62-75.

Minor Creative Works

  • Christensen, W. 2004. Wild dog dreaming, Canning stock route. Western Australia: Curtin University of Technology.