Australia’s indigenous diplomacy and its regional resonance in Oceania

Abstract

Mary Graham and Morgan Brigg’s philosophical approach to Indigenous political ordering and inter-polity relations breaks new ground for scholarly and practice deliberations about Indigenous diplomacy. Our response takes up questions of the meaning, practice, and efficacy of Indigenous diplomacy with reference to wider Indigenous diplomacy in the Pacific which we call Oceanic Diplomacy. We contextualise Australian developments in relation to the region before considering examples from Pacific diplomatic practice to show how Indigenous diplomacy can be a valuable game changer or flawed window dressing. We also consider points of similarity and difference with their approach to ideas of ‘relationalism’ and ‘survivalism’. Overall, we argue that their principled approach to the philosophy of ‘relationality’ will find resonance in the Pacific and is necessary to counter instrumental approaches to the mobilisation of Indigenous diplomacy to be effective.