It is
undeniable that Australia presents a vast cultural demographic amongst its
populace. A multicultural nation that strives for acceptance of all cultures
and ethnicities by developing policies within the interests of a global economy
whilst promoting universal understanding between divergent cultures. However,
with the recent rise in refugee’s seeking a new more secure way of life, we as
a nation are beginning to debate our role in ethico-politics. That being, determining
to what extent Australia should be held accountable to help those in need through
political discourse based on ethical and humanitarian views and needs. Furthermore, the recent
rise in refugee migration has placed educational institutions in a crisis state
to be able to meet the educational needs of refugee’s whilst re-educating the
youth of the nation about the nature of refugee’s as “public culture has been distorted by rhetoric that dehumanises those
for whom we should be showing hospitality” (Hattam & Every, 2010). Subsequently,
“the experience that refugee students
have in schools is very much determined by the way that refugees are thought
about and represented in the public culture” (Hattam & Every, 2010) and
therefore often become victims of xenophobia, racism, alienation and bullying
as the Australian media often portray them as detrimental or ‘disadvantageous’
to the Australian way of life.
Chief
executive of World Vision Australia Tim Costello argues that the overriding
refugee problem is caused by Australia’s “distorted”
view of the world. He contests that our “luck of geographical location” (2013) leaves us unable to fully
recognise the extent to which others in conflict zones such as Syria struggle
on a day to day basis. He evokes that “global
conflict only becomes our concern when boats start landing on our shores and
yet all too often we turn a blind eye to the root of the problem, that being,
the reason they have come here” (2013). It is these problems such as war
and famine which form a facet of the negative representation of refugees. We as
a nation fear the possibility of refugee’s to take their problems to our shores
with them. Yet Costello advocates that “we
must confront our place in this complex global problem with fresh eyes…fresh
eyes meaning looking beyond our shores and experiencing the situation in other
countries” (2013).
In order to counteract
the negative portrayal of Refugees within Australia and properly assume our
role in the field of ethico-politics, a majority of educational institutions
employ political strategies in order to provide a solution to “the fragmentation in classrooms and the
wider Australian polity” (Hattam & Every, 2010) and ensure political
stability in the future. Some strategies include; fun days, information days
and multicultural days. Yet it is still not enough. The message is being spread
but without sufficient information and purpose. Hattam and Every argue for the
implementation of teacher training days in which they gain “a fuller understanding of the global dynamics propelling refugees and
asylum seekers…an understanding of their complex life situations” (2010).
This should be actively addressed within the curriculum along with “a repertoire of pedagogical approaches to
dealing with differences at a classroom level” (Hattam & Every, 2010). In
doing so, teachers are able to educate the youth of the nation on why these
people have come to our shores whilst being able to effectively engage them in
classroom activity and discussion without the detriment of segregation amongst
the students.
Whilst
confronting this issue within educational institutions is essential in order to
ensure future political stability, further political work must be done to
ensure the issue is met in contemporaneous society. For instance, Michel
Foucault’s notion of ‘fearless speech’
(2002) works upon Costello’s demand for ‘fresh eyes’ by confronting governments
on human rights issues and other aspects of ethico-politics. He proposes two
essential principles to guide the process including “recognising that there exists an international citizenship amongst
humanity….and to affirm the right of citizens to act and to reject the
assumption that only the government has the prerogative to take action”. Both
approaches will ultimately lead to a more compassionate, humanitarian Australia
which recognises the crisis’s that exist within people’s lives and address
their need of a more secure, stable and sustainable way of life which Australia
is undeniably able to provide. Furthermore, by accepting ‘our’ home as their
home, student refugees will be able to experience a more equitable educational
experience.
Ultimately, the
refugee problem also highlights aspects of identity politics and more
specifically, the notion of essentialism. Young students (and troublingly some
adults) are unable to recognise Australia as the home of refugees. They are
fixated on their country of origin as their only identity which cannot and
should not be assimilated within Australian culture. In order for Australia to
truly adopt the multiculturalist identity that it presents itself as and fully
adopt its fundamental role in ethico-politics, Foucault’s process of fearless
speech and Costello’s ‘fresh eyes’ must be implemented and the Australian
populace must embrace the notion of an ‘international
citizenship’ (2002) and show hospitality to those who have suffered in
their home land. Up to this point, it seems Australia’s refugee program works
off the premise that it’s something we ‘have’ to do when it should be something
we want to do.
References:
1.
Costello, T. (2013, July 19). ‘Australia’s view on global refugee
problem is distorted’.
News Limited Network. Available at: http://www.news.com.au/national-news/australia8217s-view-on-global-refugee-problem-is-8216distorted8217-says-tim-costello/story-fncynjr2-1226681859346.
2. Foucault, M. (2002).
‘Confronting Governments: Human Rights’. Power:
Essential
Works of Foucault, 474-475.
3. Hattam, R., & Every, D.
(2010). ‘Teaching in fractured classrooms: refugee education,
Public culture, community
and ethics’. Race, Ethnicity and
Education, 13(4), 409-424.
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