Locating the voices of Indigenous young people on identity in Australia: an Indigenist analysis

The identities of Indigenous young people in Australia have increasingly been recognized in the health and education research literature as being significant. Over half of the Indigenous population in Australia is under the age of 25 years, emphasizing the importance of centering the voices of this cohort. In this paper, two Indigenous scholars undertake an Indigenist analysis of the ways that the voices of Indigenous young people are present within knowledge production about them in relation to their identities. This paper presents a number of themes that emerge from the analysis of how the voices of Indigenous young people in Australia are privileged in the literature, highlighting the significance of closer examination of knowledge paradigms and representations. Creating a deeper understanding of identity and the impact on wellbeing through their lens as Indigenous young people is critical for improving policy and program development as well as future research.