Australian Muslims and the question of race
Author Identifier
Nahid Afrose Kabir: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4508-9067
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Title
The Routledge Handbook of Islam and Race
First Page
669
Last Page
682
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
School
School of Arts and Humanities
RAS ID
77598
Abstract
Australian Muslims and the Question of Race by Nahid Afrose Kabir: In 1901, with the enactment of the Immigration Restriction Act or the “White Australia” policy, the Australian government aimed to keep Australia “white”. During this period, people of color, for example, Afghans, were denied naturalization (their right to become British subjects). Indians were technically British subjects but were denied equal privilege because of their color. The “White Australia” policy was abandoned in 1973, and the multiculturalism period was introduced in Australia. This led to the immigration of many Muslims. The question of race was still prevalent; some scholars termed it cultural racism. After the September 11, 2001, Twin Towers terrorist attacks in New York, USA, the racialization of Australian Muslims intensified. Islam began to be perceived in racial terms, and it became a category of discrimination. Some scholars call this form of discrimination Islamophobia, meaning fear of Islam in Australian society. In this chapter, I will first discuss my research methodology. Secondly, I will discuss some literature focusing on cultural racism and its impact on some Muslims in the West. Thirdly, I will discuss how early Muslims were discriminated against based on their race. Finally, I will examine the ways in which some Australian Muslims are viewed as the racial “other” in the contemporary period and the far-reaching global impact of this view.
DOI
10.4324/9780429058875-49
Access Rights
subscription content
Comments
Kabir, N. A. (2024). Australian Muslims and the question of race. In The Routledge handbook of Islam and race (pp. 669-682). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429058875-49