TY - JOUR

T1 - Towards Authentic Engagement with Indigenous Peoples

T2 - Lessons from Negotiated Agreements in the Pilbara, Western Australia

AU - Benkert, Julia

AU - Eversole, Robyn

AU - Dembek, Krzysztof

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - In Australia, some Indigenous groups achieve sustainable positive outcomes from negotiated agreements, while others experience adverse cultural and social impacts. This discrepancy highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the factors that influence the success or failure of negotiated agreements. In this study, we explore how negotiated agreements can avoid marginalizing Indigenous aspirations and play a more consistent role in alleviating injustices and inequities faced by Indigenous communities in post-colonial contexts. Drawing on an in-depth analysis of established agreements between nine Indigenous communities and a large mining company operating in the Pilbara region, Western Australia, we identify culturally situated logics and practices that perpetuate colonial institutions and specify how these influence outcomes from negotiated agreements. By employing an anthropology of development lens, we decenter Western views about development and advocate for reflexive approaches to engagement that recognize Indigenous stakeholders as rightful custodians of the lands and resources that are subject to the agreements.

AB - In Australia, some Indigenous groups achieve sustainable positive outcomes from negotiated agreements, while others experience adverse cultural and social impacts. This discrepancy highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the factors that influence the success or failure of negotiated agreements. In this study, we explore how negotiated agreements can avoid marginalizing Indigenous aspirations and play a more consistent role in alleviating injustices and inequities faced by Indigenous communities in post-colonial contexts. Drawing on an in-depth analysis of established agreements between nine Indigenous communities and a large mining company operating in the Pilbara region, Western Australia, we identify culturally situated logics and practices that perpetuate colonial institutions and specify how these influence outcomes from negotiated agreements. By employing an anthropology of development lens, we decenter Western views about development and advocate for reflexive approaches to engagement that recognize Indigenous stakeholders as rightful custodians of the lands and resources that are subject to the agreements.

KW - development logics

KW - Indigenous stakeholders

KW - intercultural engagement

KW - mining industry

KW - negotiated agreements

KW - Cultural studies

KW - Sustainability education

KW - Sociology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105019366619&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/00076503251376892

DO - 10.1177/00076503251376892

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:105019366619

JO - Business and Society

JF - Business and Society

SN - 0007-6503

M1 - 00076503251376892

ER -