ABSTRACT This article critically examines definitions of policy ‘success’ in the context of historical Indigenous higher education policy in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia. We begin by summarising applications of the often-used but arbitrary, rarely-critiqued terms ‘policy success’ and ‘what works’. The paper chronologically articulates what ‘policy success’ has looked like in the context of historical Northern Territory higher education, based on a critical analysis of policy documents. We then apply Critical Race Theory and Indigenous research theories to highlight the power processes that are attached to representation of policy issues, creation of policy goals, and ultimately definitions of ‘success’. We also consider the role of ethical principles in framing conceptions about what constitutes a worthy policy goal. We suggest expansion and resourcing of formalised Indigenous governance mechanisms is needed to create more productive dialogue about Indigenous higher education policy goals and, ultimately, discussions around what ‘works’.

中文翻译：

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探索北领地土著高等教育政策成功的定义

摘要 本文在澳大利亚北领地 (NT) 历史悠久的土著高等教育政策的背景下，批判性地研究了政策“成功”的定义。我们首先总结了常用但武断的、很少受到批评的术语“政策成功”和“什么有效”的应用。该论文基于对政策文件的批判性分析，按时间顺序阐明了在历史悠久的北领地高等教育背景下“政策成功”的样子。然后，我们应用批判种族理论和土著研究理论来强调与政策问题的表述、政策目标的制定以及“成功”的最终定义相关的权力过程。我们还考虑了道德原则在构建关于什么构成有价值的政策目标的概念中的作用。