Thesis abstract:

This research investigates the representation and organisation of knowledge in the middle years of secondary school curriculum in New South Wales (NSW), focusing on the enduring presence of settler knowledge structures. Through a critical analysis of curriculum policy reform, the project traces the genealogy of knowledge claims, examining how curriculum reforms shape what is considered essential knowledge and how knowledge forms are prioritised. A key aspect of this research is the examination of how Indigenous knowledges are acknowledged, represented, and integrated into these educational frameworks. The study explores how educational policy discourse in the post war era reinforced a stratified approach to secondary education through the enclosure of settler knowledge. It engages with with broader debates on decolonising education and valuing Indigenous epistemologies.