Paper short abstract:

From its origins in theorising about education of minority groups, the critique of deficit thinking has been embraced by scholars located in Indigenous Studies and elsewhere as a widely applicable critique. This paper examines the appeal of such an approach, it limits and unintended consequences.

Paper long abstract:

The critique of a deficit thinking first emerged in theorising about education and the persistence of poor educational outcomes of minority groups. Since then it has been increasingly invoked in many other circumstances, particularly by scholars institutionally located in Indigenous Studies (as well as others) to criticise a range of government programs aimed at addressing Indigenous disadvantage. This paper attempts to trace aspects of this expanding realm and why it would appeal to Indigenous Studies scholars. The obvious attractions include its anti-assimilationist, anti-stereotyping orientation. It also encapsulates a powerful trope of liberation from the misrecognition or relegation of different cultures and worldviews, holding out the hope that a fuller understanding will lead to better outcomes. But it does tend to homogenise Indigenous circumstances and cultural variation and create suspicion around those who would directly address pressing social problems. This paper, then, attempts to articulate some of the perhaps unintended consequences of the rise of the critique of deficit thinking.