HaSS Cornwall student wins 2025 Hutton Prize for Excellence

A recently graduated alumna from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Cornwall, has been awarded this year’s Hutton Prize for Excellence for her “outstanding” work on Australian Indigenous and Settler governance systems.

Daisy Ellis was recognised with the annual prize for her dissertation titled, Governing the Rights of Nature in Australia: Indigenous and Settler Approaches.

Her dissertation was selected not only for its academic rigour but also for its compelling policy recommendations, which the judges said had the potential to raise public awareness and influence meaningful policy change.

The Hutton Prize for Excellence is awarded annually to undergraduate or postgraduate students in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences and the Business School. It aims to reward, encourage, and inspire those who place ethical conduct and transparency at the heart of government, business, and professional practice.

“My dissertation looked at the importance of representing non-human nature in politics, focusing on the different viewpoints of Indigenous and Settler governance in Australia,” said Daisy, who graduated in July and was supervised by Professor Clare Saunders. “I found that Settler governance systems tended to view non-human nature as a commodity or a resource to be controlled, whereas Indigenous governance is rooted in care, reciprocity and recognition of nature’s own rights and responsibilities. This contrast highlighted to me that environmental protection must go beyond legal or political frameworks and involve rethinking our relationships with the natural world by respecting the authority of Indigenous governance.”

“Daisy’s dissertation is an outstanding piece of research that examines a timely and important question of how non-human nature is portrayed in Australian Indigenous and Settler governance systems,” said Dr Ekaterina Kolpinskaya, Senior Lecturer in British Politics, who was a tutor to Daisy and one of the assessors. “The dissertation is written with clarity, authority, and commitment. It builds a compelling argument and advocates for greater pluralism in governance, giving equality and weight to Indigenous worldviews and practices. This study tackles an important and relevant contemporary issue and offers a valuable contribution to academic knowledge and practical policy making.”

The prize consists of one Troy ounce of gold, formed into a medal, and is awarded following a rigorous assessment process. The judging panel selects the dissertation that best exemplifies the principles of ethics and good governance.

Professor Li Li, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Global and Engagement in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, added: “The Hutton Prize for Excellence recognises and inspires the next generation of professionals to prioritise ethical conduct in their work. It is encouraging to see students increasingly focus on ethics in their research, and Daisy’s project is an outstanding example of the depth, originality, and global relevance we seek to celebrate through this award. Her research not only advances academic understanding of how non-human nature is represented in Australian Indigenous and Settler governance systems, but also challenges us to rethink our relationship with the natural world. Her work offers insights that resonate far beyond Australia. This is scholarship with the power to shape both thought and practice, and we are proud to recognise it.”