Does Racism towards Australian Aboriginals Still Exist Today - Essay Example

Racism towards Australian Aboriginal Name Course Name Course Instructor Date Does racism towards Australian Aboriginal still exist today? Introduction Racism in Australia has been witnessed in many of government reports and in some perceptive ethnographic mechanisms. A lot of research has been carried out to establish the level of racism in Australia and the level at which intolerance have been reproduced through critically analysing the opinions of the people. This essay will critically analyse if racism in Australian aboriginal exists today. History of Racism in Australia Racism is not as a result of individual assumption or irregularity but it is as result of practices which are highly rooted to the traditions and the modern culture. Racism has existed in many methods in many cultures. It has also contributed immensely to important roles such as, joining the non-federations and providing guidelines on Aboriginal or where a particular community belongs. Racism is related to established forms of power by the whites influence and communal controls (castle 1986). Castle also continues to say that racism in the immigrant cultures is connected to the common practises of emigrants and the cultural societies and groups. In 1978 when Captain Philip and his British fleet settled at Port Jackson, the relationship between the Aboriginal and the British was good for some time until cultural differences began to emerge. However, during this period the Aboriginal people were not familiar with the British practices such as putting up fences or farming of land and; therefore, the British perceived them as primitive. These racist beliefs were witnessed during the 20th century where the racist beliefs prevented Aboriginal people from the same rights as the Australians. During the 1950s the Aboriginal people had been placed in missions where they were adapted to harsh conditions and depended on food hand-outs from the whites. The Australian federal constitution in 1901 did not recognise the Aboriginal people as citizens because they did not have the capacity to own land or houses (Forest, 1984) Present discrimination According to Helen (2012), nationwide statistics done by the Stimulating Discrimination Plan which was released in 2011 showed that racism and attitudes about racism are still real in Australia. In another research that was carried out to find out if Aboriginals experienced racism showed that Aboriginal people returned the highest responses of experiencing racism from police and also while seeking housing. The research also in 2008 showed that 27% of Aboriginal and Torres Slander community stated suffering discernment in the previous one year by generally the whole community and places of employment. Research further showed that three out of four Aboriginal people were discriminated against while accessing healthcare which led to them not being treated and diagnosed for diseases while in their early stages when treatment was most effective. The Australian community is culturally diverse in itself such that each generation and community has different experiences of settlement and migration. Because of these differences, their experiences of racism have varied with time. Reports have also shown that the settled immigrants experience low racist attitudes or racism compared to the recent arrivals to Australia (Helen, 2012). Types of racial discrimination in Australia Racism is often viewed as an individual act of biasness. Discrimination and biasness are very much a reality in Australia and looking at individual acts of racism can create ambiguous realities that maintain and create racial inequity broadly. There are different levels of inequity that address racism and they include; Symbolic racism Symbolic racism is explicitly described as damaging communal reaction to types of rational prejudice. Symbolic discrimination is witnessed by a few members who may not be termed as racists because they despise obvious relational racism but yet in real life they practice similar fewer hostile approaches that show inequitable racial levels of racism towards the aboriginal people. Prejudice is in this case is portrayed minimal forms like their disagreeing to the common justices which are racially directed policies like non- insured health care or affirmative action policies. People believe that the indigenous people must have different treatment differently and also those who make declarations how their descendants came to their current states without anything and worked to their positions up through working hard to make better lives for themselves are believed to be representing figurative discrimination ( Steeh, 1997). Structural discrimination Structural discrimination is a type of racism that is believed to be the interaction of many policies, practices and different programmes of different institutions which lead to hostile outcomes and conditions for the communities of colour or the Aboriginal communities. This is in comparison to the white communities that resulted within the context of racial historical and cultural situation and conditions. Structural concept of discrimination is normally founded on the concept of radicalized communal schemes. Communal schemes arise when dominant groups are created and the power which they possess is initiated by creating unbalanced regulations, and policies together with inaccessibility of resources. Structural discrimination occurs when the policy makers fail to address structural inequality between the radicalized groups. Structural racism is normally encouraged by the routine practices supported by ideologists (Essed &Goldberg 2002). Institutional Racism This form of racism is witnessed in institutions where the policies, practices and procedures work to benefit the white community compared to the Aboriginals. Institutional racism isolates the indigenous groups from equally accessing and participating in educational, political, economic and health systems. Individual or interpersonal racism Institutional racism is the most common form of discrimination, it includes stereotyping, bias or pre-judgement and generalization towards people of colour based on their origin or skin colour. This type of racism is also known as relational racism which manifests itself in more damaging behaviours such as name calling, physical and sexual abuse and assault. These forms of racism are portrayed based on the hostile attitudes carried out by stereotypes Social exclusions Social exclusion racism happens when mechanisms in institutions are form material or social isolation. This prevents the aboriginal people from participating in communal and traditional actions of the particular society. Social exclusion is a continuation of past records that ignore the problems encounter by aboriginal people throughout the colonial period in Canada. They ignore the present or the past contributions that have been made by the aboriginal people to the environmental and the political progress of the Canadian culture (Royal commission on Aboriginal people 1996). Impacts of racism Discrimination in structural settings leads to insinuations such as learning institutions, health institutions government agencies also the police bodies. Discrimination does not happen only to workers of the aboriginal societies like police officers, administrators, nurses and teachers it is known to happen to those in the senior bureaucrat positions and their advisors. This has led to many negative impacts on the Australian community and society. Poor education Discrimination has been evident in present various learning institutions in Australia with straight racism being shown through form of prejudiced discrimination, abuse, and provocation. The experience which is commonly reported in schools in normally not acknowledged nor addressed by teachers or the officials in society. People who have never experienced discrimination my not know it or identify the potential damages it is contributing to the society and to the children. According to (Gee, 2002), racism in structural setting occurs in institutions that discriminate groups based on racialization. The most infamous forms of racism are in the school system is where they have attempted to assimilate the aboriginal children. Treaties were signed to provide culturally rich, on-reserve education to the children, but they have created a traditional and western knowledge system of boarding whose intentions is to kill the aboriginal children’s culture. Numerous Indigenous scholars feel that the variances of the cultural requirements combined with experiences of racism result to resistance and school failure. This has led to these children feeling irrelevance because mostly they are subjected to racism. The outcome if this acts have resulted to withdrawal of children from school leading to increased school dropouts of Aboriginal students. When the students drop out of school there is high levels of unemployment which leads to violence, alcoholism and substance abuse, depression and suicide. Research has shown that throughout the generations these residential schools have continued to set a cycle of trauma to the Aboriginal children. Poor health According to Lurey (2007), the expectancy life period of the Aboriginal people is 20 years lower than that of the Australians. The rate of low weight birth babies is two times that of the non-Aboriginal. Infant mortality rate of the Aboriginals is 2.5 times that of the Australians with the northern territory experiencing more death of children. Affiliation of racism, wellbeing with ethnic classification has closely been identified to the current reason of poor economic status of the Australian people. A study done in 2006 revealed discrimination to be related to the negative results of mental problems. Unemployment Unemployment rate of Aboriginal people is three times that of the Australians. 31% of Aboriginals have witnessed employment discrimination against them in seeking employment .56% of Australian in a research that was carried out showed that they believe being an indigenous Australians makes it harder to survive with no source of income. The research also states that Australians said they discriminate against Aboriginals in employment without even realising that they do so because it is a norm. High Imprisonment The rate of imprisonment of Aboriginals is 16 times higher than that of the Australians. Since 1999, imprisonment of the Aboriginals has increased by 6% since 1991. Between 1990 and 1999, 115 Aborigines died in custody. They are also the most victimised by courts, police and the court systems and they also suffered high rates of crime. A study done in 2001 showed that Aborigines are 5.5 more likely to suffer high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault and murder [Lur07]. Solutions to racism Providing knowledge about cultural issues The simplest way of reducing prejudice is by eradicating stereotyping which is normally not an easy thing. Sanson (1998) reported that the Australian Psychological Position Paper on prejudice states that stereotypes are very highly resistant to change. In addition to that it is important that false beliefs about the target groups should be challenged to make the people understand the importance of living with each other and accommodating each other regardless of their backgrounds and origins. Providing inclusive learning and working environment There are moral and legal provisions which have been created to ensure that the working and learning environment is free of racism. These policies should not be racist to people on grounds of cultural back ground, linguistic or religion backgrounds. Policies on events like non-discrimination, non-racial discrimination together with the reporting mechanisms should be implemented in institutions to support a racist free environment in institutions of learning. Empathy Research carried out has shown strong relationship between the level of empathy and prejudice towards the Aboriginals. Empathy can be used to reduce racism in Australia by teaching the Australians how to relate to the feelings of the Aboriginals so that they can feel and understand what the go through. Advocating for a just and harmonious Australian society Essential tasks should be enabled to create understanding between the people and the world including their historical background. People must be educated and equipped with the knowledge which is required to participate efficiently to development of their common values. The people must understand the Australian history and create a reflection on beliefs which are common to them. Views on stereotyping about the people from different cultures, diversity and linguistic backgrounds must be challenged to curb negative ethnic stereotypes (Handley 1994). Conclusion From the studies it is evident that racism in Australia is still a living reality to the Aboriginal people living in the community. These people experience different types of racism which includes institutional, structural, individual and social exclusion racism. The results and impacts of racism among the Aboriginal people are poor medical health, poor education which leads to school dropouts. High rates of imprisonment and unemployment are also as a result of racism towards the aboriginal people. Racism can be eradicated by providing an inclusive learning and working environment for all Australians regardless of their background or history. Advocating for a just and harmonious Australian society and creating empathy among the non-Aboriginals to make them understand the suffering the Aboriginal people go through are also other ways of eradicating racism in Australia. References Essed, P., & Goldberg, D. (2002), Race critical theories: Text and context. Malden, MA: Blackwell Forrest, J., Hay, A. M. And Johnston, R. J. (1984) In what ways are the suburbs different? Gee, G.C., & Ford, C.L. (2011), Structural racism and health inequities Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race. Helen S. (2012) Racism exists in Australia –are we doing enough about it? Lurey, N. (2007). Australia's racist past and present. Australia: Green left weekly O’Neill, N. & Handley, R. 1994, Retreat from Injustice: Human Rights in Australian Law, Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples,(1996). Royal Commission report on Aboriginal Schuman, H., Steeh, C., Bobo, L., & Krysan, M. (1997). Racial attitudes in America: Trends and interpretations (Rev. 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Research further showed that three out of four Aboriginal people were discriminated against while accessing healthcare which led to them not being treated and diagnosed for diseases while in their early stages when treatment was most effective. The Australian community is culturally diverse in itself such that each generation and community has different experiences of settlement and migration. Because of these differences, their experiences of racism have varied with time. Reports have also shown that the settled immigrants experience low racist attitudes or racism compared to the recent arrivals to Australia (Helen, 2012).

Types of racial discrimination in Australia Racism is often viewed as an individual act of biasness. Discrimination and biasness are very much a reality in Australia and looking at individual acts of racism can create ambiguous realities that maintain and create racial inequity broadly. There are different levels of inequity that address racism and they include; Symbolic racism Symbolic racism is explicitly described as damaging communal reaction to types of rational prejudice. Symbolic discrimination is witnessed by a few members who may not be termed as racists because they despise obvious relational racism but yet in real life they practice similar fewer hostile approaches that show inequitable racial levels of racism towards the aboriginal people.

Prejudice is in this case is portrayed minimal forms like their disagreeing to the common justices which are racially directed policies like non- insured health care or affirmative action policies. People believe that the indigenous people must have different treatment differently and also those who make declarations how their descendants came to their current states without anything and worked to their positions up through working hard to make better lives for themselves are believed to be representing figurative discrimination ( Steeh, 1997).

Structural discrimination Structural discrimination is a type of racism that is believed to be the interaction of many policies, practices and different programmes of different institutions which lead to hostile outcomes and conditions for the communities of colour or the Aboriginal communities. This is in comparison to the white communities that resulted within the context of racial historical and cultural situation and conditions. Structural concept of discrimination is normally founded on the concept of radicalized communal schemes.

Communal schemes arise when dominant groups are created and the power which they possess is initiated by creating unbalanced regulations, and policies together with inaccessibility of resources. Structural discrimination occurs when the policy makers fail to address structural inequality between the radicalized groups. Structural racism is normally encouraged by the routine practices supported by ideologists (Essed &Goldberg 2002). Institutional Racism This form of racism is witnessed in institutions where the policies, practices and procedures work to benefit the white community compared to the Aboriginals.

Institutional racism isolates the indigenous groups from equally accessing and participating in educational, political, economic and health systems. Individual or interpersonal racism Institutional racism is the most common form of discrimination, it includes stereotyping, bias or pre-judgement and generalization towards people of colour based on their origin or skin colour. This type of racism is also known as relational racism which manifests itself in more damaging behaviours such as name calling, physical and sexual abuse and assault.

These forms of racism are portrayed based on the hostile attitudes carried out by stereotypes Social exclusions Social exclusion racism happens when mechanisms in institutions are form material or social isolation. This prevents the aboriginal people from participating in communal and traditional actions of the particular society. Social exclusion is a continuation of past records that ignore the problems encounter by aboriginal people throughout the colonial period in Canada.

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