Indigenous Peoples and Disaster Recovery

In collaboration with Indigenous researchers and practitioners (with particular leadership from Bhiamie Williamson), the Beyond Disasters team have been engaged since 2020 in research relating to First Nations communities affected by disasters such as bushfires. This includes efforts to address the dearth of research into the unique impacts of disasters such as bushfires on Indigenous communities in Australia, and exploration of the role of healing knowledges and practices in supporting disaster recovery. This work has been conducted across a range of projects including Recovery Capitals (ReCap), the Bushfire Recovery Victoria research partnership, and the Red Cross Bushfire Recovery Program evaluation.

Indigenous healing and disaster recovery: A summary of dialogue (PDF)

Publications

• Quinn P, Williamson B, Gibbs L. Indigenous-informed disaster recovery: addressing collective trauma using a healing framework. Progress in Disaster Science, 100257.
• Quinn P, Williamson B, Gibbs L. Recovery Capitals and Indigenous Peoples Resource. Melbourne, Australia: Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre. April 2021.
• Williamson B, Quinn P. Unwelcoming and reluctant to help: bushfire recovery hasn’t considered Aboriginal culture — but things are finally starting to change. The Conversation. 2021 Feb 24.
• Quinn P, Gibbs L, Blake D, Campbell E, Johnston D, Richardson J & Coghlan A. Recovery Capitals: A Collaborative Approach to Post-Disaster Guidance. Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 2022;37(2):52–62.
• Quinn P, Williamson B, Gibbs L. Aboriginal Cultural and Healing Factsheet for Bushfire Recovery Victoria. University of Melbourne, Australia; 2020.
• Quinn P, Williamson B, Gibbs L. Indigenous-informed disaster recovery: addressing collective trauma using a healing framework. Under review