Living diversity: Australia’s multicultural future (original) (raw)
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Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies
Focusing on the data of ethnic and religious identities in a multiethnic and multicultural context, this paper provides research-based evidence to explain whether and how significantly such data could be reliable from a social and demographic perspective. The explanation is based on population census that also provides unique nation-wide data sources on ‘religious affiliation’. The field of this study is the multiethnic and multicultural context of Australia that holds a large variety of ethnic, religious and cultural groups from throughout the world. According to the findings of the present analysis, this paper argues that if ethnic migrants belonging to the same category of religious affiliation are considered as a single group without taking their ethnic origins into account, this will lead to insufficient, incomplete, and misleading knowledge.
Public Attitudes Towards Multiculturalism and Interculturalism in Australia
Journal of International Migration and Mobility, 2020
The growing intellectual and policy debate around optimal approaches to diversity governance, particularly in relation to criticism of multiculturalism, is now entering a new phase characterised by advocating alternative conceptual and policy paradigms most notably interculturalism. Proposing a conceptual complementarity approach, rather than dogmatically oppositional stances, this paper approaches interculturalism as offering heuristic additive values to multiculturalism. As the paper shows, the Australian context indeed offers an optimal case study for conceptualising and engaging with interculturalism within an otherwise resilient multicultural framework. Australia's unique and strong multicultural ethos has combined with successful inter-cultural strategies at different levels of diversity governance, policy and practice across various sectoral terrains. This paper uses an online national survey to examine the public understanding of and attitudes towards multiculturalism and interculturalism as supposedly distinct yet interconnected policy tools relating to the ever-changing diversity governance agenda.
Race and Multiculturalism in Australia (Draft pre-review)
Routledge Handbook of Race and Ethnicity in Asia, 2021
Race and whiteness have shaped Australia’s history as a settler-migration country since its colonisation and beyond its introduction of multicultural policies in the 1970s. This chapter reviews scholarship on race, multiculturalism and racism in Australia focusing on sociological research. It covers the foundational role of race and whiteness, the trajectory of Australian multiculturalism, its critiques and interpretations; the relationship between multiculturalism and national identity; and research on racism and anti-racism.
Young Muslims of Australia: Anatomy of a Multicultural Success Story
Across Europe, multiculturalism has been said to have ‘failed’ because it creates ‘ghettoes’ of Muslims that are actively undermining democratic principles. Hostility to state policies of multiculturalism and Muslim settlement are increasing rapidly. Australia too, has seen Muslims viewed with suspicion and subjected to severe forms of surveillance and social pressure to show loyalty to the nation and Australian ‘values’. In the same period Australian multiculturalism has faced sustained attacks, being challenged on its ability to foster integration and loyalty from citizens, especially Muslims. In recent times, the political tide has started to turn. Australian Muslims are increasingly making their voices heard and politicians from all of the major parties are committing to multicultural policies as a core tenet of Australian nation building (despite continuing attacks from the far right). This is due in no small part to the work of creative and innovative grassroots community groups, a vast body of academic research examining these groups and issues of social inclusion and exclusion. However despite this extensive research, one major contributor of pivotal significance has slipped under the radar. Young Muslims of Australia (YMA) based out of a small Northern suburban Melbourne Mosque has not sought any public recognition for its work, yet has contributed to the development of an entire generation of Australian Muslim political and cultural leaders playing an active role in shaping the development of Australian multiculturalism and Islam. The group has even had an impact internationally. This article, based on research interviews with key members and extensive engagement with their body of work seeks to examine and analyse the central tenets and guiding principles of the group and consider the key contributors to YMA’s success then measures its impact. The YMA not only challenge, but completely undermine arguments about an inherent incompatibility of Islam and Western democracy. Key Words: Multiculturalism, Australian Islam, Western Muslims, Tasuwuuf Islam, Social Resilience
Australians’ Views on Cultural Diversity, Nation and Migration, 2015-16
Cosmopolitan Civil Societies, 2017
Between July and August 2015, and in November 2016, the Challenging Racism Project team conducted an online survey to measure the extent and variation of racist attitudes and experiences in Australia. The survey comprised a sample of 6001 Australian residents, which was largely representative of the Australian population. The survey gauged Australians’ attitudes toward cultural diversity, intolerance of specific groups, immigration, perceptions of Anglo-Celtic cultural privilege, and belief in racialism, racial separatism and racial hierarchy. In this paper we report findings on respondents’ views on cultural diversity, nation and migration. The majority of Australians are pro-diversity. However, we also acknowledge conflicting findings such as strong support for assimilation and identification of ‘out groups’. The findings paint a complex picture of attitudes towards cultural diversity, nation and migration in Australia. The attitudes reflect contradictory political trends of celebrated diversity, triumphalist claims about freedom, alongside pro-assimilationist views and stoked Islamophobia. This is within the context of a stalled multicultural project that has not sufficiently challenged assimilationist assumptions and Anglo-privilege.