...think about the different ways that social scientists could study issues of race and racism in Australia. For example, there are important conceptual issues. How do we define terms like race and racism? Are there different kinds of racism (i.e. old racism? colour racism? new or cultural racism? institutional racism? Can you be racist towards someone on religious grounds, or is that something different? – if interested in the latter see Dunn et al 2007 in refs below). There are also historical and contemporary questions – who has experienced racism in the past in Australia, and who experiences it in today’s Australia? Then there are questions about how we examine the issues surrounding racism. How do we measure racism? Do we use survey questions about people’s beliefs? Are the kinds of questions asked in such surveys really measuring racism? (think about the survey explained in Dunn et al 2004). Can we use qualitative forms of research to investigate racism? What about assessing racism from the perspective of its victims (i.e. from those who have experienced racist acts, or forms of discrimination?) Are there particular groups of people more likely to hold racist beliefs? In what ways can we measure and assess the extent of racial discrimination in Australia? Can you think of any other good research questions that we could ask on this topic? Here are some further ideas of things you might address in group oral presentations on this topic: In terms of the two listed...
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...about (mainly non-Aboriginal) Registered Nurses working in hospitals and clinics in remote areas of Australia from the early 1900s to the 1980s as they came into contact with, or cared for, Aboriginal people. Government policies that controlled and regulated Aboriginal Australians provide the context for these stories. Memoirs and other contemporary sources reveal the ways in which government policies in different eras influenced nurse’s attitudes and clinical practice in relation to Aboriginal people, and helped institutionalise racism in health care. Up until the 1970s, most nurses in this study unquestioningly accepted firstly segregation, then assimilation policies and their underlying paternalistic ideologies, and incorporated them into their practice. The quite marked politicisation of Aboriginal issues in the 1970s in Australia and the move towards selfdetermination for Aboriginal people politicised many – but not all – nurses. For the first time, many nurses engaged in a robust critique of government policies and what this meant for their practice and for Aboriginal health. Other nurses, however, continued as they had before – neither questioning prevailing policy nor its effects on their practice. It is argued that only by understanding and confronting the historical roots of institutional racism, and by speaking out against such practices, can discrimination and racism be abolished from nursing practice and health care. This is essential for nursing’s current and future...
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...offered insight into the hardships of stereotypes and racism Indigenous people faced in history and still today. There was controversy surrounding the book as it was written by a Caucasian person rather than an Indigenous person. People felt that an account of Indigenous people should be written by an Indigenous person in order to offer a true, un-biased depiction. Constable, wrote the stereotypes into her book to teach readers about the discrimination. Otherwise without, the reader wouldn’t have been as well informed. The book depicts a Caucasian girl called Sadie, who time travels back to the dark places of Australian history, in 1933 where racism, social exclusion, lack of culture appreciation and prejudice thoughts over ruled truth, back to time now, and a large part of society's understanding and realisation has not differed. ‘Crow Country’ has many stereotypes that could have been received differently for different readers. Walter (an indigenous boy) is perceived as a trouble maker and runs into police a lot - the major stereotype that Aboriginals get involved with criminal activity and drugs. Walter tells the boys at the pool table ‘bad things happen to people who piss me off’, (p.76) suggesting he had experienced prejudice thoughts before and hopes that would scare the...
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...We need to appreciate the complexity of the past and not reduce history to a shallow field of point scoring. I believe that there is much that is worth preserving in the cultural heritage of our dispossessors as a nation, the Australian community has a collective consciousness that encompasses a responsibility for the present and future, and the past. To say that ordinary Australians who are part of the national community today do not have any connection with the shameful aspects of our past is at odds with our exhortations that they have connections to the prideful bits. If there is one thing about the colonial heritage of Australia that indigenous Australians might celebrate along with John Howard it must surely be the fact that upon the shoulders of the English settlers or invaders-call them what you will, came the common law of England and with it the civilised institution of native title. What more redemptive prospect can be painted about our country's colonial past?(65) From this perspective, the black armband view of history is a strand of 'political correctness'-the dominant but erroneous view of how we see ourselves and what we see as worthwhile in our culture. Historical understanding cannot be fixed for all time, Out of the present emerge new problems that require a re-examination of the past. The question we must ask is not “does history have to be rewritten?” but “does the re-evaluation of history lead to the discovery of historical truth?” In other words, does...
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...Bindal group although had a claim struck out by the Federal Court of Australia. When Australia was first discovered and the First Fleet arrived there was around 500, 000 Aboriginal people living in Australia, now days there is only 270,000 living around Australia. Between the 18th and 19th Century the Britons brought sheep and cattle to Australia and began to colonise Australia, this although had a huge impact on the traditional owners of Australia as the British took the land...
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...exploitation because of its incorporation of token characters from different races and genders, which hurts more than helps our society, particularly American society, in its goal of expelling racism and sexism. The racial and gender stereotypes displayed in the hit television show Lost contribute negatively to society and its attempt to expel racism and sexism. By having characters that blatantly follow both racial and gendered stereotypes broadcasted on one of the most popular American television shows, it communicates to its viewers that their own stereotypical views on different races and cultures are inherently true and further cement that view point into the American mindset. If you’ve never seen the television series Lost, then it’s safe to say you’re lost. Although the series has long come to a close, when it was being aired, it was one of the most talked about shows on television. The one thing people didn’t seem to notice, and neither did I until I looked at it with a very critical eye, is that a large amount of the characters on the show fit almost perfectly into the stereotypes of their particular race. Before diving deep into these stereotypes, its critical you understand the background story to the show. The television series Lost is about an international flight flying from Sydney, Australia to Los Angeles, California that goes off course mysteriously and crash-lands on a tropical island....
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...on the consequences and impacts of conflicts encountered by individuals. They include, the adversities faced by individuals and surroundings due to the circumstances of certain conflicts, the change within oneself that is discovered through conflict, and the drastic aftermath attached. Conflict is a part of life which is better resolved, as it may influence others, who are no involved, to face difficulties due to the circumstances that come along. Some conflicts can occur based simply on our perspectives and judgments on sensitive issues. We as individuals need to learn to accept things the way they are. This idea is demonstrated in an American film, ‘Remember the Titans’, directed by Boaz Yakin, which proves how our perspective on certain things can create dilemmas. The film demonstrates the impact of sensitive issues related to conflict, such as racism. The clashes that occur as impact of racism between individuals is depicted through a football team named Titans. It also reflects on the black community who have been segregated from the white community for years, resulting in hardship for those American footballers to struggle to accept African American footballers as a part of their team. As a result of the lack of trust and respect for one another, the blacks’ and whites’ encounter several clashes before...
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...either descent from prisoners who were shipped off to Australia, or they are descendants of free settlers, who ventured out to seek their fortune. This is the information that most non-British Europeans remembers about Australia from history lessons, if no further exploration into the matter is made. As a consequence it is often forgotten that this continent also is the home of the first people of the world. The fact that people lived in Australia more than 12000 years before there were humans in Europe is not fingertip knowledge, even though it could be argued that this information is of vital importance to knowing of the history of the human race. To illustrate how fleeting brief the history of the white people of Australia is compared with that of the black Aborigines; it is believed that the Aboriginals have lived in Australia for 1600 generations in contrast to the white people, who have only lived on the continent for 8 generations (f). The population of indigenous people of Australia has been estimated to have counted around 300.000 in number, at the arrival of the British. Nevertheless, the oldest people of our world were driven from their lands and have since the time of the British invasion on their territory been victims of the colonial rulers. A history of general disadvantage, dispossession, discrimination and institutional racism ensued and the results were - and are to this day a tragic as Aboriginals of Australia have...
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...because it helps avoid feelings of revenge, anger and hatred and a commitment to social justice as well as a way to ensure lasting peace and stability and to improve the relationship for the common good. Reconciliation aims to address the inequity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians that was introduced with the colonisation of Australia in 1788. Some relevant points around Reconciliation for the Common Good are, the referendum laws for Aboriginal people on May 27 1967, the report of the Royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody in 1991, as well as the Formal apology for the members of the stolen generations in 2008. Reconciliation for the common good was the referendum laws for Aboriginal people on May 27, 1967. It enabled Indigenous people to be included in the census, and it enabled federal parliament the power to make laws in relation to Indigenous people. This meant that Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people were all required to follow the same laws set out by the government, and that Indigenous people would be recognised and counted (in elections and the census) in all states and territories of Australia. The decision of the Australian population was a milestone for Indigenous people as they were finally being recognised as part of the population and the social, economic and political injustices to the Indigenous people were beginning to be addressed by government. Perspective A...
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...12 graduation from Gunbalanya School in West Arnhem Land on January 21,2016. The second was of another aboriginal teenager from Goldfields-Esperance region, Western Australia, who took his own life just two days after, becoming one of the at least five people in the Goldfields-Esperance region who have committed suicide in the past two months leading up to Christmas. The journey of the 17 year old Ms. Lansen, who comes from a remote Aboriginal town, has not been easy but in the interview to (1) ABC News she stated that she could cope owing to the support from family, friends and range of core local services. Her environment was in contrast to that of the troubled youth whose death highlights the sense of hopelessness, radicalized and economic inequality. The deceased youth’s uncle, Trevor Donaldson, is demanding a safe house set up for troubled aboriginal youth in Goldfields, Western Australia. The human rights issue which can be seen in the light of just these two unbiased media reports is how presence or absence of some core local services can change the direction in which the life takes the Aboriginals in this case. (2) Western Australia leads the Aboriginal suicide rates, with 35.8 per 100,000 Aboriginal populations, the major drivers for suicide among Aboriginals being disempowerment, poverty and racism. The Issue The bigger human rights issue that I see here is exclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from Australia’s Constitution. The fact that...
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...imaginative, persuasive or expository styles. Language Analysis – Outcome 3 You will focus on the use of persuasive language techniques written articles and visual images. You will then produce a language and visual analysis essay. (600 – 800 words) Exam: Reading and Responding and Language Analysis - 2hrs 15mins • A reading and responding essay for The Kite Runner • A language and visual analysis essay on the issue studied in class UNIT 2 Reading & Responding – Outcome 1 The Crucible - Text response essay (800 – 1000 words) Creating & Presenting – Outcome 2 Minimum of Two – One written response in an imaginative, persuasive or expository style to a prompt (600 - 800 words) related to the context of Masculinity in Australia 70%. 1 Oral presentation on the context 30% Using Language to Persuade – Outcome 3 You will study a particular issue in class and produce two responses to this issue. Hurdle -...
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...On February 7, 1967 my journey started on the freedom ride. The events which took place in the past week were the worst experiences of my life. Until now I have not realized how unworthy my existence is to this world. I actually feel like I am nothing, I feel like a nobody I feel so worthless, actually who am I? I just sitting here right now and thinking to myself what has this country changed to. I am basically being treated in the non-human category. I have been discriminated against, been hurt physically, mentally and emotionally for being in my own country and practising my own religion, traditions and beliefs. On the first day on the freedom ride we headed off to Moree, In Moree we decided to address the segregation of the local swimming pool. Firstly we protested out the front of the council chambers. We then to took the Aboriginal children to the pool. The white people were angry and furious they had thought that we would bring diseases and infections by swimming in the same pool as them, but we insisted and we didn’t leave until we fulfilled our satisfactions. But obviously we didn’t enjoy the stay at the pools the white people were calling out offensive names to us and throwing pebbles at us and swearing at us but we had no choice. From my own memory I can just recall the white Australians saying “we don’t want these scary looking animal like creatures around us” I wanted to cry but I had to man up. Such humans like us aboriginals are being compared to animals. This...
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...popular cultural mediums? By Danielle Gold Charles Chauvel’s ‘Jedda,’ (1955) is a film firmly placed within the dominant ideology of its time, limited by the otherness of its chosen subject matter. As a medium of cultural production, film has a necessary relationship with the hegemony of its own culture; sometimes progressive and other times simply perpetuating. As a representation of the debate over the ethics and feasibility of assimilation, ‘Jedda’ reflects the failed premise of its time, the hierarchical approach to culture and civilization perpetuated by white Europeans. Despite this hamartia it has been applauded with “the only dignified Aboriginal male lead that has been allowed to exist in a film made by white directors in Australia,” (Johnson, 1987:48) what is certainly a progressive allowance (though the word is problematic). It has become evident that true representation of the Aborigine in Australian popular culture is dependent on undoing the dualistic understanding that establishes their otherness. Culture is a discourse of common iconography. Signifiers of language, appearance, values, history, cuisine, beliefs… are inscribed, developed and perpetuated by popular media. In Nationalism and Literature Sarah Corse uses canonical texts; “the American The Great Gatsby and the Canadian Fruits of the Earth,” to contrast “American individualism… and Canadian social identification.” Corse contends the differences are “not natural but part of a process of national...
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...Explain the linkages between the business case and moral case for diversity in organisations. Support your key arguments by sourcing ‘diversity statements disseminated/ publicised by Australian organisations to justify their claims for managing diversity. Diversity itself remains an unclear concept. It is contextually specific and linked to demographic and socio-political features of the population and the workforce. Diversity is a selective concept in that some, but not all physical characteristics are incorporated into Managing Diversity programs (Moore 1999). Diversity also has invisible and hidden aspects that include culture and attitudes (Moore 1999). Managing Diversity programs in general mimic or reflect legislative programs that prohibit discrimination and encourage Equal Employment Opportunities within the workplace, and hence many Managing Diversity programs support such groups as women, ethnic minorities, older workers and people with a disability. There is a tension between diversity as a factor that generates forms of exclusion and inferior material outcomes in the labour market, and diversity as a factor that can be harnessed towards improving organisational performance. While diversity is embedded in worker difference and notions of equality and justice, the broader equity goals linked to Managing Diversity are not necessarily the terms by which Managing Diversity programs are assessed within the organisation. The Moral case has often been expressed in terms...
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...(1987) calls it a ‘cultural future’ (no.page), and also how essential dialogue is in development of an ‘ethical, postcolonial’ film in Australian film and television. In Australian film, the depictions of Aboriginal individuals have traditionally been together notified by racist ideologies and helpful to the growth of these philosophies in the normal Australian culture (Turner, 1988; 135). In Australia, films ‘about’ Aboriginal individuals persist to strengthen the hegemonic formations of cultural authority and prevention of having power of Aboriginal individuals from the Australian norm (Langton, 1983; 33). Marcia Langton (1983; 33) a top Aboriginal scholar claims that, in Australia, variety of media communication have taken place and remain to be one of the most influential ways of describing ‘Aboriginality’. This idea of Aboriginality that she describes is not the concepts an individual holds about in their head, which may perhaps be labelled Aboriginal or exclusively a classification to do with the colour of an individuals skin (Langton, 1983; 33). It is rather recognised as a common thing, which is made by the non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal individuals....
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