SJS7 - "Policy Approaches to Addressing Aboriginal Social Inclusion in South Australia"

Source: Robbins, Jane. "Policy Approaches to Addressing Aboriginal Social Inclusion in South Australia." Australian Journal of Social Issues 50.2 (2015): n. pag. Student Resources in Context. Web. 2 Jan. 2016.

Author Credentials: The author of this article, Jane Robbins, organized the document in a similar manner as to a scientific investigation, providing a brief summary at the beginning, an introduction, an analysis, and a conclusion. In addition, the sources used in the journal are credible, such as the speech from 1992 that was quoted in the introduction. However, no information is provided in the document pertaining to Robbins's previous articles and accomplishments. Despite this fact, the information in the document is presented professionally and intelligently.

Summary: This article addresses the current status of the indigenous population in Australia, discussing the extreme disadvantage these individuals face, and the political policies that are meant to take the ‘social inclusion’ approach. The Social Inclusion Initiative has extended assistance to the homeless, and although it helps a certain percentage of Aboriginals, Robbins commented that not all of the indigenous peoples are homeless. She discussed how several other projects in the Social Inclusion Initiative do not specifically target help towards the Aboriginals, and instead label the people it helps into groups, such as people who did not complete their schooling or those who have broken the law more than once. Thus, the original problem is not being completely addressed,

Analysis: The author makes a firm, strong argument that the policies put in place do not divert enough attention to the Aboriginals in Australia. Robbins thoroughly examined every aspect of these policies in her article, providing reference to other sources through parenthetical documentation where necessary. This source is credible because it exhibits an extensive amount preparation from research and information gathering, leaving an expanded works cited and a consideration for countries that not have been previously attuned to the situation. This means that Robbins covered every basis for her article, including background details, which described the problem at hand, before outlining the flaws in its solution.