JUSTIN BROOKS

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Fulbright Postgraduate Scholar

Media profile

The infiltration of Black American and Afro-Caribbean culture into the indigenous segment of other populations is a process frequently referred to as ‘Black transnationalism’.

Justin Brooks, a history graduate from College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, has won a Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarship from the Australian-American Fulbright Commission to undertake research in history at The Australian Centre at the University of Melbourne for 12 months.

Justin’s research, explores the politics of race and identity among indigenous Australian youth in urban centers focusing on ‘Black transnationalism’. “My analysis will focus primarily on the urban indigenous population within Melbourne-a populace that numbers over 12,000 people”, explains Justin.

“In recent years aspects of Black American and Afro-Caribbean culture have infiltrated this indigenous segment of the population - a process frequently referred to as ‘Black transnationalism’. My research seeks to place this development within a broader historical discourse of empire and collective identity among aboriginal peoples.”

“In particular, I seek to address imperial legacy and the problems of post-colonialism through issues such as the relationship between syncretism and dual identity; the history and contemporary racial usage of the term ‘black’ in Australian culture; globalization as a second form of cultural domination; persisting notions of ‘otherness’ among indigenous Australians; the tendency to look to other oppressed people for voice; and ultimately the limits (or virtues) of 'outsiders' giving voice to a community.”

“My emphasis on indigenous peoples in urban settings seeks to challenge the stereotypical image of the "rural Aborigine" by applying pre-existing ideas about rural indigenous peoples to urban inhabitants. My project also seeks to nuance common understandings of "transnationalism" in general. Not only does this term invite complex questions about the extent of and motivations for cultural integration, but it also oversimplifies an intricate system of cultural affiliations that overlap to create different senses of identity for different indigenous peoples.”

On completing his Fulbright, Justin plans to publish his research on Australia and undertake a PhD in either indigenous studies or Native American/Early American History. “I hope to teach at the college level and share my passion for indigenous cultures with the next generations of scholars.”

Justin’s academic performance to date has been recognised through the College Honors & History Honors Programs; the Hall Family Foundation National Scholarship and the Charles A. Dana Scholarship, the most prestigious academic scholarship at College of Holy Cross. Justin served as Chief of staff for the Holy Cross Student Government Association and Founder and Co-chair of the Historical society. He has also spent a year abroad at Oxford University.

The prestigious Fulbright program is the largest educational scholarship of its kind, created by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright and the U.S. Government in 1946. Aimed at promoting mutual understanding through educational exchange, it operates between the U.S. and 150 countries.