Race And Racism In Australia

1000 Words4 Pages

The concepts of race and racism have a dramatic affect on the daily lives and opportunities of Australians. In this essay I will explain the precedents and the terminology of multiculturalism, race and racism. It is the affects racism and the misunderstanding of race that has hindered the development of Australia’s social cohesion as well as impedes minority Australians personal lives. Here I will address the argument that the prevalence and negative affects of racism are still active in modern Australian society and directly impose inequality on minorities within multicultural Australia. Firstly to support my argument it is essential to communicate clearly the concept of race. The concept has changed dramatically over the last few hundred …show more content…

Recent genetic research has made it clear that there is little difference on a cellular level between racially categorized people based on aspects such as place of origin, skin colour and personality traits (Fozdar, Hawkins & Wilding 2012, p.14). Furthermore genetic research has established that there is more genetic diversity between individuals within a race than between races as a group (Fozdar, Hawkins & Wilding 2012, p.15). Thus as Lentin states in ‘Race’, Race and Anti-racism: Challenging contemporary Classifications the concept of race can no longer be used to legitimately categorize humans (Lentin 2010, …show more content…

The concept ethnicity was popularized from the 1970’s onwards to overcome the faults developed in the term of race. The concept allowed for groups to be recognized based on self-determinacy (Fozdar, Hawkins & Wilding 2012, p.27). It disregarded genetics and skin colour where race had got it wrong. Ethnicity encompassed the basis of groups on culture. Culture, to be defined by ones language, religion and ancestral homeland (Fozdar, Hawkins & Wilding 2012). Culture is a major part of every individual’s life and identity, there are many ways identity can be formed and ethnicity is also a vital piece to the framework of ones identity. The difference between ethnicity and race is important in that ethnicity allows for an individual to be identified with a group that the individual acknowledges and accepts. Previously an individual would be appointed to a group, as the term race would connote to (Brabazon