David Butt's scientific contributions

... While these are common features of written, scientific and bureaucratic language, 63 we argue that they also serve to dilute the effect of the negativity because they obviate the doers/perpetrators of the actions and do not name the activities. 64 We suggest that a more authentic way to communicate these realities would be to include people and name actions, for example, "Aboriginal people fought to keep their land." Other examples of more explicitly inscribed negative appraisal in the optional sub-phases include "The University acknowledges the real and devastating impact of colonisation on Aboriginal Countries and peoples", 65 or "As non-Indigenous Australians, we benefit every day from the theft of Country and continuing persecution of First Nations people". ...