Racism and the Assimilation Policy - Coursework Example

Racism and the Assimilation Policy” RACISM Racism inherits its roots from three terms that are stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination [1]. Stereotyping is a general conception about a group based on characteristics of a single member of that group, whereas, prejudice is the attitude towards a group based on stereotyping. Discrimination is simply the action based on stereotyping and prejudices. Thus, the main root of racism is stereotyping, which then gives birth to prejudices and discrimination. Racism gives rise to inequality, injustice and devaluation of one’s identity. In Australia, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1998) defines it as beliefs, ideas and principles which are reflected as an attitude that is mostly negative towards the groups with different ethnic or linguistic backgrounds. It fails to recognize other groups as a part of the dominant group and treats them as being inferior to them. Racism is responsible for the intense roots of inequality, injustice and unfairness in the society. The basis for these inequalities are may be cultural, social, historical or on the basis of empowerment. [2] RACISM AND THE ASSIMILATION POLICY When Europeans enforced the assimilation policy on the indigenous Australians, their main aim was to Europeanize the aboriginal people. The aborigines on the other hand tried to adopt the European practices as a result of the hostile attitudes but even then were rejected by the Europeans. Such an assimilation policy could never be a success. As a result, the indigenous Australians were faced with resentment. Children of the aborigines could be detached from their parents any time by the white authorities. The white authorities had a full control on the aboriginal people. Racism was not maintained as central to maintaining it is to represent social categories such as 'race' and 'nation' as natural and primitive and not as some defect or negative side of a person. The aborigines were faced by a numerous kinds of racism such as racial prejudice, racial discrimination, racist ideology and institutional racism. These kinds of racism were evident in the assimilation policy and are discussed below. 1. Racial Prejudice Racial prejudice as a mordant pressure was attacking the fundamental values of indigenous Australians. Racial prejudices were completely evident during the assimilation policy. There was no justice, egalitarianism and equality for every one. The native Australians were a victim of extreme racist behavior. Examples of racial prejudices that were evident in the intention and practice of the assimilation policy included mockery in the country, racial harassment, damage of the property of the aboriginals, some aboriginals were dispossessed off their land, racist propaganda, racist abuse, racial defamation and vilification and physical assault. As the aboriginals were in minority they were treated as being not a part of the society and they were completely exploited by the Europeans assimilation policy. Ethnic cleansing and genocide were the extreme examples of racial prejudices that were apparent against the aboriginals. 2. Racial Discrimination Racial discrimination is directly or indirectly straightening out the people of a particular group or minority from the rest of the majority. The indigenous Australians and the people who migrated were not given equal employment opportunities because of their cultural and linguistic background. This deliberate effect of the assimilation policy revealed that the assimilation policy was just by virtue of its name an assimilation policy. In actuality, it was the contrary to integration or adaptation of each others’ culture and practices. The most distressing example of the racial discrimination was the removal of the children of the aboriginal families from them by the Europeans and British authorities. The aboriginals were not even given full citizenship rights and were completely discriminated from the Europeans and the British. There was also a restriction of immigrants coming from non-European background in Australia. 3. Racist Ideology The indigenous were forced to follow the racist ideology that is the ideology that the Europeans identified as important and vital. Racism and discrimination undoubtedly underpinned the oppression, incursion, immigration and marginalization of indigenous peoples. The Europeans started with the primary assumption that their ways are intrinsically superior to those of the aboriginals and the immigrants. The records of indigenous Australians show how they were suppressed by the ‘racist ideology’ to maintain their supremacy, authority and power. The beliefs, principles and ideas of the indigenous Australians were not considered worth implementing or following. The concepts of nationhood were seen as unable to coexist with the diversity. The practices were based on the ideology of national culture of the Europeans and the aboriginals were considered as extraterrestrial. They were regarded as a threat to social cohesion. The indigenous people were judged and critiqued on the basis of the norms of the Europeans and British. 4. Institutional Racism Institutional racism emphasizes and highlights the effects of the rules and practices in the institutions of Australia. It describes the forms and kinds of racism that are present in the infrastructure of the social and political institutions and organizations. The governmental, political and social institutions and organizations had limited the rights of the aboriginals and the minorities. They had less employment opportunities, less right to the resources of the country and limited accessibility to various institutions and organizations. The aboriginals were supposed and forced to follow the cultural practices of the Europeans. They were also required to practice the same norms as followed by the majority. The aboriginals were completely marginalized from the Europeans and British. Institutional racism reinforced the shortcoming that was previously experienced by the aboriginals. It further restricted their access to the opportunities that were available to them. The school going students resulted in more dropouts of the aboriginals as compared to the Europeans. This lead to less educated people in the aboriginals which was aimed at making them backward and result in lower level employment opportunities and less provision of goods and services. This in turn resulted in a further inferior position of the indigenous Australians in the society. Thus, racial prejudice, racial discrimination, racist ideology and institutional racism played a major role in the objective and performance of the assimilation policy which not only was destructive and demoralizing but also genocidal. The media and media images present the racial prejudices, racial attitudes and racial discrimination as rational, logical and practical. They reveal it as reasonable and coherent, which does not truthfully depict Australia's cultural diversity. Through this means, the racist beliefs and practices are reinforced on the indigenous Australians as an assimilation policy and then engrossed into their original culture. [2] Bibliography [1] March 21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. (n.d.). Available from: [2] Understanding Racism. (15 Nov 2005). Available from: [3] Government Data (n.d.) Available from: Read More