Archive for the 'racism' Category

No license to abuse in anyone’s culture

Published by
Sarah
at June 7, 2007 in Politics, Uncategorized, law, media, race, racism, violence and violence against women. 0 Comments

The issue of violence against women, and particularly violence within certain cultural and religious communities have characterised some of the most heated debates on race, culture , immigration and women’s rights in recent times.

Wo! magazine interviews two academics- Dr. Christina Ho, a lecturer in Social Inquiry at the Faulty of Humanities and Social Science, and Penny Crofts a senior lecturer in law, at the University of Technology, Sydney- at the “No license to abuse” conference in Bankstown. The forum was a one-day event which aimed to address awareness about racialised violence against women survivors of domestic violence in particular the access women from diverse backgrounds have in accessing protection from the law.

We talk Dr. Chris Ho to on her address “Hijacking Feminism- The politics of Women’s Rights in contemporary Australia” in which Dr. Ho looks at the representation of violence against women in Australian politics. Dr. Ho argues that violence against women is a global issue but many Australian commentators portray it as a problem of cultural minorities; in particular within the Lebanese or Muslim communities. She addresses why conservative commentators are only concerned with violence against women when men of minority backgrounds are the perpetrators. Dr. Ho analyses the politics behind these current debates and offers some thoughts on how advocates of women’s rights can respond.

We also have a chat to Penny Crofts, a specialist in criminal law theory. In her address “Tolerating intolerance: Liberal Culturalism and Ethnicity in Provocation” Penny discusses the legal principles relating to the cultural defence in domestic violence cases. In her overview of the use of the Provocation defence in law she refers to theoretical framweorks which argue that liberal cultures are not ‘colour-blind’ and she poses such questions as: is the court truly neutral? If so, what capacity does the court have to recognise cultural differences; and how far should cultural differences be recognised if at all where there are values of bodily integrity to be resolved.

Bollywood Star Bullied on Big Brother

Published by
Sarah
at January 18, 2007 in Culture, Politics, media, pop-culture, race and racism. 2 Comments

A diplomatic incident has nearly broken out over allegations of racist abuse on British reality show ”Celebrity” Big Brother.

We all know the show is hardly a conduit for good taste- as can be attested by the “turkey slapping incident”  last year on Australian Big Brother which created a huge debate in Sydney newspapers about sexual harassment, even prompting calls from the Prime Minister to ban the show.

But what Big Brother does reveal with its massive ratings and its potential to create public controversy is a rare insight into the lives and minds of ordinary and ‘public’ figures at their most uninhibited.

The dynamics of the house are revealing about a whole spectrum of issues- including attitudes to gender relations, racism, culture and sexuality in modern life. 

In this way the show has an ability to uncover a little of the nation’s psyche- mirrored in all its ugliness. 

The victimised housemate- Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, was apparently ganged up upon by four of the housemates, one whose claim to fame was being a member of the defunct band “Steps”, and singling her out to bullying.

Shetty was apparently referred to as “the Indian”,  a “cunt”, made fun of her for her accent, with suggestions made that Indians were so thin because they ate “undercooked” food.

The B-grade starlet has now become a heroine in India and Britain with thousands sending emails complaining to the show’s producers in support of the embattled actress.

The situation has created a firestorm in the UK highlighting simmering racial tensions. Shetty’s experience has obviously struck a huge chord with the British public.

The controversy has touched upon the raging debates that have characterished modern British society- on issues of race, culture, religion, multiculturalism and integration. To the extent that politicians have come to the fore to address the issues in the House of Commons. 

In these debates it has always been the minority groups which have been castigated for their inability to “integrate”. The deluge of complaints reveal the deep chord the Shetty debacle has struck with the immigrant experience.

If “integration” is called for- than this is also a two way street. “Integration” is only possible when people feel welcomed as equals in their society to be their very best. These efforts are severely undermined when you’re being called a dirty “Paki”.

The ”Empire” obviously needs to straighten things out. It’s “subjects” are in revolt.  

 

 

 

Holy White Australia Policy

Published by
Anna
at September 16, 2006 in Politics and racism. 5 Comments

I really just want to write a string of expletives about this. But I won’t because that would be unprofessional.

IMMIGRANTS will need more than just a reasonable command of English if they want to become Australian citizens - a basic knowledge of cricket may also help.

The Prime Minister, John Howard, said yesterday a discussion paper on the new citizenship test, to be released tomorrow with an accompanying advertising campaign, would propose quizzing aspiring citizens’ language skills as well as their grasp of Australia’s history, culture and values.

It seems the PM is not only nostalgic for the white picket fences of his youth but also for the days of the White Australia Policy. How disturbing. And I blame Beazley. Wedge politics indeed.