We’re not racists, but …

Most Australians believe cultural diversity is good for the nation but many worry about the impacts on social cohesion, according to a long-term study by researchers from four states. The latest results, outlined last week at a public lecture at the University of Western Sydney, suggest Australians have contradictory attitudes to race issues. It found that 87 per cent of Australians support cultural diversity and 85 per cent acknowledge racism and want something done about it – but 40 per cent also feel cultural difference can threaten societal harmony. “The community’s anxiety about social cohesion is understandable, given 19 per cent of people surveyed had experienced race hate talk and 11 per cent had been excluded based on race,” said Professor Kevin Dunn from UWS’s School of Social Sciences. “Recent events such as the attacks on international students and the subsequent protests contribute to this unease.” Nevertheless, Dunn said, the study had uncovered strong public demand for policies which protect cultural diversity and encourage Australians to share their cultural distinctiveness. The lecture drew on telephone surveys of more than 16,000 Australians, conducted as part of the Challenging Racism Project. A collaboration of researchers from UWS, the University of South Australia and Macquarie, Murdoch, Melbourne and Victoria universities, it has tracked Australian attitudes and experiences for the past 11 years. See also (CR, 29.06.09) and (CR, 29.06.09)