The multicultural society in which Australia operates, supports the ideals of democracy; whereby every person is free and equal in dignity and rights (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2005). However, racism is undeniably endemic in contemporary Australian society – particularly for Indigenous Australians; threatening these founding ideals (Furze, Savy, Brym & Lie, 2015). Well-established as a social construct, the idea of ‘racism’ naturally draws our attention to the dominant arena in our society where ideas are created, shaped, governed, transmitted and transformed – the media (Furze, et al., 2015). Arguably a mass agent of socialisation, it is important to explore the media as a catalyst for racism because it is omnipotent and ubiquitous in nature with the capacity to drive social change (Furze, et al., 2015). Any positive change in this paradigm could address widespread discrimination and misrepresentation of Indigenous Australians “…as drunks, child abusers, and petrol sniffers” (Stoneham, Goodman & Daube, 2014, p.9). This essay will argue that the media manifests contemporary racism and consequently negatively impacts on Indigenous Australians.
For the purposes of this essay, racism will be referred to as “… the belief that a visible characteristic of a group, such as skin color, indicates group
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But what are the impacts of such a paradigm? Beyond the idea of social incohesion and discrimination caused by racism, there are research links between racism and physical ill-health. This procession is important to note because otherwise one may argue that some may have negative stereotypes of Indigenous Australians because of their substance misuse for example, rather than seeing the substance misuse as a health damaging coping strategy to racism (Paradies,
The 2014 Walkley Award winning documentary, "Cronulla Riots: the day that shocked the nation" reveals to us a whole new side of Aussie culture. No more she’ll be right, no more fair go and sadly no more fair dinkum. The doco proved to all of us (or is it just me?) that the Australian identity isn’t really what we believe it to be. After viewing this documentary
All three authors recognize that difference constructs discrimination. The concept of othering (Hall 1997) and Anglo dominance presented by Moreton-Robinson (2015) help understand Judith Butler’s findings as to why oppression and exclusion cannot be reduced completely. It is same fear of the ‘other’ and white dominance in Australia that keep Australian institutions from reaching integration and equality—film being one these institutions. The filmmakers of The Sapphires attempt to tell the Aboriginal narrative. The scenes mentioned in the previous paragraphs, educate a diverse audience about Aboriginal discrimination in Australia in the 1960s. However, even though the filmmakers reveal some truths of Aboriginal discrimination, they do it in a way which the Aboriginal narrative is suppressed and Anglo dominance is maintained. “The Sapphires” plot is not centered on Aboriginal discrimination, rather a story of how four Aboriginal girls learn about love and friendship. Aboriginal discrimination in the 1960s forms only a small part of the journey to entertain American Troops in Vietnam. By presenting a musical comedy-drama film, the filmmakers sugar coat Australia’s dark past. The movie also ends on a good note. Cousin Kay who at some point rejected her Aboriginal roots, overcomes her prejudice and gets more in touch with the Aboriginal culture by partaking in an Aboriginal ceremony. By the end of the film the audience barely recalls the discrimination scenes and only remembers a happy ending. This is dangerous, as the film deceives its white Australian audience to believe that racial inequality in Australia is an issue of the past not the present. Therefore, promoting the idea that the Australia does not continue to privilege white people over Aboriginals
The idea that indigenous Australian communities are underprivileged and do not receive the same justice that the white community accrues is represented through Jay Swan and his interactions with the corrupt white police officers and the indigenous locals of the town. My empathetic response to the text as a whole was influenced directly by way the text constructs these ideas as well as my knowledge of the way indigenous Australians are represented in the mainstream media and the behaviour of the police force as an institution. These contextual factors and the way Sen has constructed ideas influenced me to empathise with the indigenous
Over the years Australia has had many different problems with racism and racism affecting peoples’ lives. Many racial groups have been affected, most significantly the Aboriginals. The end of world war two in 1945 marked a huge change in types of racism. Australia went from the ‘superior’ white Australians dominating over immigrants and aboriginals. To a relatively multicultural and accepting society that is present today.
The Indigenous youth of Australia still face many challenges growing up in a world dominated by white Europeans. This essay will discuss the stereotypes and marginalisation that young Indigenous teenagers must face. After viewing Yolngu Boy and Black Chicks Talking, there will be examples from the two movies on the stereotypes, marginalisation, interdependent and the connection the characters of the movies have with the Aboriginal culture and the dominant white culture.
This article will examine the perpetuation of racism in Canada by the mainstream news media by examining three elements: (1) the impact the news media has on mainstream society (i.e. how it shapes thoughts and behaviours), (2) modern manifestations of racism, in particular subtle forms of racism, and (3) the use and impact of racial discourse (such as racial stereotypes and the framing of criminal and deviant behaviour as a racial problem) on society. This article argues that the news media not only reflects and reinforces racism in society through racialised discourse, but also creates and perpetuates subtle notions of bias and exclusion.
After the release of Rabbit Proof Fence, many `politically right' white Australians tried to promote that the film was based on myth and misunderstanding but in facet is not as the film itself promotes the openness of racism. Racism was not only a problem is Australia but throughout the world and is continuing to stay a problem, even in our own backyard. The racism between the white Australians and the Aborigines is quite similar to the racism shown in schools and even in parliament here in New Zealand between the Maori and Europeans, or once again between the `white' and the `black'.
In 2014 Beyond Blue released a video campaign that illustrated that ‘Discrimination stops with you’ and posted a message that ‘No one should be made to feel like crap just for being who they are’ (Beyond Blue 2014). The campaign dubbed The Invisible Discriminator showed a sequence of events where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience racism and links how these incidents that may seem insignificant to those being unconsciously racist can lead to anxiety and depression.
‘’ Abolition of systemic discrimination in the CJS may leave behind ‘structural racism’: the discriminatory impact of laws, policies and practices rather than individual racist attitudes’’ (Blagg et al 2005: 12). The white susceptibilities are offended when Aboriginal people’s occurrence induces loathing and fear: their social custom, and their differences (sitting in parks, moving around as a group). In public places it is approved or considered as ‘okay’ to discriminate against Aboriginal people, for instances; Aboriginal children was rejected from shopping malls for ruptures of dress codes while young non-aboriginal youths are not, Aboriginal background adults are denied service in pubs is all regarded as being ‘okay’. Aboriginal people’s cultural values and beliefs are ignored as the Criminal justice system (CJS) enforces non-Aboriginal principles upon them. As a result, such behaviour is considered as institutionalised norms, practices and standards but not reflected as deliberate
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have some of the worst health outcomes in comparison to any other indigenous community in the world (AIHW, 2011). According to United Nations official Anand Grover, Aboriginal health conditions are even worse than some Third World countries (Arup & Sharp, 2009), which is astonishing, considering Australia is one of the worlds wealthiest countries. Thoroughly identifying the causes and analysing every aspect behind poor health of indigenous Australians, and Australian health in general, is near impossible due to the complexity and abundant layers of this issue. Even within the category of social determinants, it is hard to distinguish just one factor, due to so many which interrelate and correspond with each other. The aim of this essay is to firstly identify and analyse components of the social determinants of health that impact the wellbeing of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, and demonstrate how they overlap with each other. By analysing the inequalities in health of Aboriginal and non-indigenous Australians, positive health interventions will then be addressed. Racism and the consequences it has on Indigenous health and wellbeing will be discussed, followed by an analysis of how and why social class and status is considered a determining factor when studying the health of the Aboriginal population. The issue relating ...
Cunningham, J. & Paradies, Y.C. 2013, 'Patterns and correlates of self-reported racial discrimination among Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, 2008-09: analysis of national survey data', International Journal for Equity in Health, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 47-61.
... a socially defined group are treated differently, especially unfairly, because of their membership of the group (Kreiger, 1999). There are many facets to the issue of discrimination that affect the Indigenous Indigenous people, particularly the youth in the 21st century. Among these is the perception that Aboriginal’s are inherently lazy, alcoholic, dole (welfare) bludgers ( ). One factor that contributes to the portrayal of Indigneous people in this light and thus impacting on the relationship of the Indigenous community within mainstream society is the influence of the media (Stoneham, Goodman & Daube, 2014). The consistent representation of Indigneous people in such a negative view further perpetuates the racist stereotypes that were ______ which can have a major impact on the health and wellbeing of Indigneous Australians (Stoneham, Goodman and Daube).
Racism appears everywhere and is playing an enormous role in society, not only to the Hispanics, but also to the African Americans. In fact, Being Latino in American society can be challenging there are many stereotypes that are said about Latinos. Not only do politicians give Latinos immigrants a bad name, but they also attempt to debase immigrants. From living in a Caucasian neighborhood, and going to a high school with five percent Hispanic. Politicians giving Hispanics a bad name, I know firsthand experience does not only affects me but everyone. Racism is an issue that was introduced to our environment through Cultural beliefs.
Multiculturalism is the ethnic and cultural diversity that exists within a certain area. Different countries display various forms of multiculturalism. The most common form of multiculturalism is whereby a citizen of a certain country is born overseas, or of the parents of the individual is born overseas. English speaking countries have a lot of multiculturalism in them. Just like the United Kingdom, Australia has adopted multiculturalism as a national identity. My essay explores how Australia appreciates and accepts many different ethnicities and cultures.
The concept of racism is a relatively modern term that made its appearance in the 18th century. The practices and processes that have helped shape racism in British society today must be looked at as a series of ideologies, that have been built into British institutions and organisations as a consequence of the historical contexts of colonialism and imperialism. However, ideas of race and differences between races are rooted even earlier than this, even as far back in history as the 16th century. Even though racism can operate on levels of both individual racism and institutional racism, it is the later that will be looked at in this essay together with the historical context of Colonialism, and the political ideologies in the form of the Immigration acts that have shaped and still shape racism in British society (Mason 1995).