The Religion and Society Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney invites you to attend the:

Religion and Non-Religion among Australian Aboriginal Peoples, Roundtable Discussion

Speakers:

Jim Cox, University of Edinburgh

Steve Bevis, University of Sydney

Kevin Dunn, University of Western Sydney

Helen Onnudottir, University of Western Sydney

Awais Piracha, University of Western Sydney

Alan Nixon, University of Western Sydney

David Moore, University of Western Australia

Hart Cohen, University of Western Sydney

Date: Wednesday, 27 August 2014

Time: 10:00 AM – 13:00 PM

Venue: UWS Bankstown Campus, Building 23, Room G.41

RSVP: j.fishman by Friday, 22 August 2014 – for catering purposes

Roundtable Discussion Introduction

In the 2011 census, approximately 24% of the total Indigenous population claimed to have no religion. Between the 2006 and 2011 census, this represented close to a 41% increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people who selected the No Religion category. When compared to the 29.41% increase in this same category among the Australian population as a whole, the difference was enough to prompt scholars to ask why. This roundtable discussion explores the significance of and possible explanations for these statistics. Is it that the Indigenous population, along with the wider Australian society, is in fact becoming increasingly secularised? Eight presenters from across a number of disciplines provide insights based on their research into the issue.

Please refer to the attached flyer for further information.

Kind Regards

Judy Fishman

School Administrative Officer

School of Social Sciences & Psychology

University of Western Sydney

Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Australia

Email: j.fishman

Tel: +61 2 9772 6440 Fax: +61 2 9772 6584

Religion and Non-Religion among Australian Aboriginal Peoples, Roundtable Discussion.pdf