Date of Award

1996

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Education Honours

School

School of Education

Faculty

Faculty of Education

Abstract

Racism is found in all societies but is a particular problem in post-colonial immigrant majority societies where the indigenous population have been dispossessed of their land and experience social injustices. Aboriginal people are the most disadvantaged group in Australian society and despite the current policies of self-determination and cultural pluralism they remain at the bottom of all social indicators. The aim of this study is to examine the causes and consequences of racism against Aboriginal children from the perspective of their parents. To do this a case-study of seven Aboriginal parents with primary school aged children was undertaken to see what explanations they gave for the causes of racism in schools and the wider community as well as how they prepare their children to deal with it. The study indicates that there is a need for all non-Aboriginal people to become aware of Aboriginal culture in order to eradicate racism and intolerance in schools and the wider community. Aboriginal people feel that the wider community's perceptions of them is based on ignorance and misunderstanding and these perceptions are continuing to exclude and marginalise Aboriginal people from society.

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