Constructing Racism in Australia

Abstract

There is a dearth of empirical evidence on the extent of racist attitudes, broadly defined, in Australia. A telephone survey of 5056 residents in Queensland and NSW examined attitudes to cultural difference, perceptions of the extent of racism, tolerance of specific groups, ideology of nation, perceptions of Anglo‐Celtic cultural privilege, and belief in racialism, racial separatism and racial hierarchy. The research was conducted within a social constructivist understanding of racisms. Racist attitudes are positively associated with age, non‐tertiary education, and to a slightly lesser extent with those who do not speak a language other than English, the Australia‐born, and with males. Anti‐Muslim sentiment is very strong, but there is also a persistence of some intolerance against Asian, Indigenous and Jewish Australians. Those who believe in racial hierarchy and separatism (old racisms) are a minority and are largely the same people who self‐identify as being prejudiced. The ‘new racisms’ of cultural intolerance, denial of Anglo‐privilege and narrow constructions of nation have a much stronger hold. Nonetheless, sociobiologically related understandings of race and nation remain linked to these new racisms. Narrow understandings of what constitutes a nation (and a community) are in tension with equally widely held liberal dispositions towards cultural diversity and dynamism. Encouragingly, most respondents recognise racism as a problem in Australian society and this is a solid basis for anti‐racism initiatives.

False Beliefs About Asylum Seekers to Australia: The Role of Confidence in Such Beliefs, Prejudice, and the Third Person Effect

“…Duck and Mullin's (1995) study found that the third-person effect was more pronounced when participants considered the impact of negative content such as racism because of self-serving motivations. Yet, it is very likely that our more negative participants would not see their attitudes as racist; most people do not (see Dunn, Forrest, Burnley, & McDonald, 2004). The fact that the politician third-person effect was significant and the media third-person effect was not can only be speculated on.…”

Diversity characteristics and the experiences of nursing students during clinical placements: A qualitative study of student, faculty and supervisors’ views

“…It has been reported that 1 in 10 Australians holds racist beliefs (Dunn, Forrest, Burnley, & McDonald, 2004) and that the challenges that this implies have to be addressed (Berman & Paradies, 2010). Johnstone and Kanitsaki (2009, p. 63) describes 'the illusion of non-racism in health care' based on the belief that 'racism is not an issue any more.'…”

Inter-ethnic Partnerships: Remaking Urban Ethnic Diversity

“…In a 2001 survey of New South Wales and Queensland residents, 13 per cent were opposed to marriage between people of different races (Dunn et al, 2004). Prejudice was contingent upon the respective ethnic groups involved.…”

“…Prejudice was contingent upon the respective ethnic groups involved. The vast majority of survey respondents indicated that they would be comfortable if a close relative married a person of European background, but many expressed discomfort with the prospect of close relative marrying an Indigenous person (29%), a person of Asian background (28%) or Muslim faith (56%) (Dunn et al, 2004). This evidence of an 'uneven allocation of intolerance' (Dunn et al, 2004, p. 415) shaped the Census data request on which this paper is based, as described in our methods.…”

“…Knowledge of where inter-ethnic couples live also facilitates a spatially contingent understanding of the everyday experiences of these couples and their (mixed-ethnicity) children. This is important as racism varies geographically (Dunn et al, 2004).…”