Dr Kirrily Jordan is a political economist, visual artist and Research Fellow at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR).

She is committed to research methodologies that emphasise collaboration with First Nations peoples, including Participatory Action Research and Art as Social Practice. Her research interests are at the intersections of politics, community development and art, including in the potential of visual, participatory and community arts to draw attention to policy problems and point the way to a more just future.  

Her research at CAEPR over 10 years has included policy analysis focussed on the Australian Government’s approach to ‘work,’ ‘welfare’ and 'community development' for Australia’s First Nations, including the CDEP and CDP schemes and new forms of welfare conditionality. 

Informed by this research, Kirrily is also interested in the ways in which First Nations peoples are working towards social, political and economic change on their own terms, including through self-determined development and the use of visual and performing arts to raise awareness and advocate for improved policy-making.

Before joining CAEPR Kirrily worked at The University of Sydney examining economic inequality, and with researchers at the University of Technology Sydney and Charles Sturt University studying racism and the contributions of recent migrants to community development in Australia. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Visual Arts at the Australian National University's School of Art.

How are First Nations peoples using visual, participatory and community arts to press for social, political and economic change?

Topics of students' choosing including related to social policy, economic development, employment and creative arts.

Magdalen Elmitt, INDG3004 Independent Research Project, 'Indigenous economic development and self-determination.’

Nina Nichols, PhD candidate, ‘The role of an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service in improving employment outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.'

Charlee-Sue Frail, ‘Our voice, Our future: Youth representation in the Murdi Paaki region’, Tjabal Centre Enrichment Program (ARTS3050), 2012.

Samantha Keane, Master of Applied Anthroplogy and Participatory Development (MAAPD) Supervised Special Project 'Learning from Community: Understanding Child Rearing and Wellbeing in Cultural Context', 2011. 

Matilda Skeritt,  INDG3004 Independent Research Project, 'Indigenous ceramics,' 2018.

Lisa Fowkes, 'Implementing the Remote Jobs and Communities Program: How is policy working in Indigenous communities?', PhD submitted 2018.