Colonial and post‐colonial aspects of Australian identity¹

Abstract

Since the 1988 Bicentennial and the 2001 centenary of federation celebrations colonial images have flourished in Australia, highlighting the roles of convicts and free settlers during early colonization. Old sites, such as Port Arthur have been re-invigorated, and in 2004 Tasmanians celebrated the bicentenary of 'white' settlement. However, social scientists have given little attention to the role of colonial and post-colonial figures and myths as aspects of Australian national identity. We seek to address this issue by examining how convicts, free settlers, bushrangers and ANZACs are associated with contemporary identity in Australia.

Third culture kids’ sense of international mindedness: Case studies of students in two International Baccalaureate schools

“…The IB’s (2013a) claims that international mindedness recognises and celebrates the unique identities and cultural attributes of all students do not apply for Seon-yeong. Conversely, what is relevant is Allan’s (2003: 84) description of ‘cultural dissonance’ in international schools, which is the tension between multiple minority cultures and the dominant school culture; in this case also the country’s culture – Anglo-Australian – according to Theophanous (1995) and Tranter & Donoghue (2007). Such cultural dissonance, Allan (2003: 84) argues, can lead ‘relatively few students to the desired outcomes of multiculturalism’.…”

“Lest We Forget”: The Politics of Memory and Australian Military Intervention1

“…This is less in keeping with a post‐colonial, multicultural or civic conception of Australia and Australian identity. If post‐World War II immigration and a commitment to multiculturalism has broadened and deepened social justice in Australia, as Tranter and Donoghue (2007:179) claim, then the reassertion of narratives and myths of national identity tied to the colonial past involves the reaffirmation of a narrow, exclusive narrative of national identity. This might serve to downplay notions of civic action and responsibility to others relative to an idealized image of a White and masculinized Australia.…”

“…Prime Minister Howard (2003a) was eager to position this celebration of the Anzac memory by young Australians as organic, suggesting that “ownership of the Anzac legend now (is) instinctively felt by young Australians (who) in their thousands… flock to Anzac Cove.” But this dynamic surely says much of the sedimentation of the Anzac myth and the memory of sacrifice as the central story of Australian identity under the Howard Government (McKenna and Ward 2007). Tranter and Donoghue (2007:172) note a 2003 survey in which Anzacs were identified by Australians as having more significance on the way Australians see themselves than any other figure in Australian history (including aborigines, convicts, settlers and post World War II immigrants).…”

Narratives of nationhood: Young Australians’ concepts of nation and their attitudes towards ‘boat people’

“…Moran, 2011;Donoghue, 2007, 2015) or more contemporary, multicultural understandings (e.g. Purdie and Wilss, 2007;Tranter and Donoghue, 2007). Anglo-Australian identities were initially informed by settler-colonial experiences.…”

“…For example, Toby's 3 enthusiasm for the country was strongly apparent in his description of an array of 'typically' Australian and highly masculine images. These ranged from pies and beer (Wedgewood, 1997) to sport (Phillips and Smith, 2000) and values such as 'mateship' and a 'fair go' (Tranter and Donoghue, 2007): Four 'N Twenty, Jackie Howe, XXXX Gold -I don't know.… Basically Anzac really, mateship.… What does mateship mean? Just getting along with everyone, taking everything as a joke, being very light hearted about it all and, at the end of the day, just turning a new page and tomorrow's a new day.… I think it's just about having a fair go and giving everyone a chance.…”