Anthea Compton

Dr Anthea Compton is a non-Indigenous Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney's Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research. She holds academic positions dating back to 2021, progressing from Research Associate to current Research Fellow since March 2024. Her work focuses on settler-colonialism, Indigenous nation-building, and self-government, with a particular emphasis on policy analysis and institutional frameworks. Compton's research is supported by grants from the Australian Research Council and AIATSIS, including her current ARC-funded project on the ATSIC case study. She earned her award-winning PhD from the University of New South Wales (2019) and previously worked as a policy advisor for the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

• Education:
• PhD in Australian Settler-Colonialism (UNSW, 2019)

Compton's research interests span Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, political participation, and governance systems. Her work critically examines how Indigenous nations navigate settler-colonial legal frameworks like native title to assert sovereignty and pursue self-determination. Recent projects include analyzing the 2023 Indigenous Voice Referendum through the lens of ATSIC's legacy and developing conceptual models for Indigenous self-government.

Her publications explore themes such as hybrid Indigenous authorities, digital sovereignty practices (e.g., Gugu Badhun Sovereignty Sundays), and the strategic use of colonial policies for nation-building. These works highlight the tension between Indigenous aspirations and settler-colonial constraints.

• Grants & Projects:
• ARC DP230100714: 'Policy for self-determination: the case study of ATSIC'
• AIATSIS-funded collaborations on Indigenous nation-building

Compton collaborates with First Nations communities and institutions, contributing to policy discussions on constitutional reform and Indigenous self-governance. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges history, law, and political science to advance decolonial frameworks.