How are indigenous and local people faring in their dealings with mining and related industries in the first part of the 21st century? The unifying experience in all the resource-rich states covered in the book is the social and economic disadvantage experienced by indigenous peoples and local communities, paradoxically surrounded by wealth-producing projects. Another critical commonality is the role of law. Where the imposition of statutory regulation is likely to result in conflict with local people, some large modern corporations have shown a preference for alternatives to repressive measures and expensive litigation. Ensuring that local people benefit economically is now a core goal for those companies that seek a social licence to operate to secure these resources. There is almost universal agreement that the best use of the financial and other benefits that flow to indigenous and local people from these projects is investment in the economic participation, education and health of present generations and accumulation of wealth for future generations. There is much hanging on the success of these strategies: it is often asserted that they will result in dramatic improvements in the status of indigenous and local communities. What happens in practice is fascinating, as the contributors to this book explain in case studies and analysis of legal and economic problems and solutions.

How are indigenous and local people faring in their dealings with mining and related industries in the first part of the 21st century? The unifying experience in all the resource-rich states covered in the book is the social and economic disadvantage experienced by indigenous peoples and local communities, paradoxically surrounded by wealth-producing projects. Another critical commonality is the role of law. Where the imposition of statutory regulation is likely to result in conflict with local people, some large modern corporations have shown a preference for alternatives to repressive measures and expensive litigation. Ensuring that local people benefit economically is now a core goal for those companies that seek a social licence to operate to secure these resources. There is almost universal agreement that the best use of the financial and other benefits that flow to indigenous and local people from these projects is investment in the economic participation, education and health of present generations and accumulation of wealth for future generations. There is much hanging on the success of these strategies: it is often asserted that they will result in dramatic improvements in the status of indigenous and local communities. What happens in practice is fascinating, as the contributors to this book explain in case studies and analysis of legal and economic problems and solutions.

'But there was no fight when the white man came, we welcomed him as a friend/But we never said he could have our land because that would be the end...' Song lyric from ""Luku-Wangawuy Manikay (1788)"" by Galarrwuy Yunupingu as performed by Yothu Yindi on Homeland Movement. This important collection emerges from the growing academic and public policy interest in the area of Indigenous people, treaties and agreements - challenging readers to engage with the idea of treaty and agreement making in changing political and legal landscapes. ""Honour Among Nations?"" contains contributions from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous authors from Australia, New Zealand and North America including Marcia Langton, Gillian Triggs, Joe Williams, Paul Chartrand and Noel Pearson. It features a preface by Sir Anthony Mason. This book covers topics as diverse as treaty and agreement making in Australia, New Zealand and British Columbia; land, the law, political rights and Indigenous people; maritime agreements; health; governance and jurisdiction; race discrimination in Australia; the Timor Sea Treaty; copyright and intellectual property issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors. ""Honour Among Nations?"" makes a significant contribution to international debates on Indigenous people' rights, treaties and agreement making.