Published Nov 12 2021

‘What Happens Next?’: Tackling Racism, Part I

Understanding racism is the key to positive social change.

During National Unity Week, the Monash University Migration and Inclusion Centre partnered with Welcoming Australia to present ‘Racism: It stops with…..?’, a panel bringing together some of the foremost leaders working to understand and battle racism today.

This week on What Happens Next?, listen to the first half of this fascinating panel discussion moderated by Dr Susan Carland. The conversation focused on progressive, inclusive ways to eliminate racism within the community and the workplace, in the education sector, and in our communities. 


Listen: A More Welcoming Country?


Nyadol Nyuon, a lawyer, human rights advocate, and Chair of Harmony Alliance: Migrant and Refugee Women for Change, provides vital perspectives on racism at the community level, and its far-reaching effects in politics and the media.

A strong advocate of First Nations people, Monash Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) Professor Jacinta Elston also provides insight into how secondary and tertiary education is fostering inclusive attitudes among students and society at large.

Monash alumna Div Pillay is CEO of MindTribes, an Innovator for Inclusion, and has been included in the 2021 Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Class of Influential Leaders, one of the world’s largest business education alliance. Her expertise is around inclusive practices in the workplace.

Emeritus Professor Andrew Markus is part of the University’s School of International, Historical and Philosophical Studies and Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation. His work tracks changes in Australian attitudes in the Scanlon Foundation national social cohesion survey, which was first conducted in 2007 and continues today.

National Unity Week encourages all Australians to join together and celebrate cultural diversity.

If you are a person who is white, I don't think you [watch] television praying that a random white person committing an offence is going to reflect on you. But every time a Sudanese black kid, sometimes even a Muslim kid, does something wrong, we are praying that next day that it doesn't cast a doubt on all of us from those communities, and whether we should be in Australia or not.

Nyadol Nyuon

apple podcast listen button
listen on spotify button

 

Listen to more What Happens Next? podcast episodes

About the Authors

  • Susan carland

    Director, Bachelor of Global Studies, and Lecturer, School of Language, Literature, Cultures and Linguistics

    Susan's research and teaching specialties focus on gender, sociology, contemporary Australia, terrorism, and Islam in the modern world. Susan hosted the “Assumptions” series on ABC’s Radio National, and was named one of the 20 Most Influential Australian Female Voices in 2012 by The Age.

  • Andrew markus

    Pratt Foundation Research Professor of Jewish Civilisation, School of Philosophical, Historical and International Studies

    Andrew is the Pratt Foundation Research Professor of Jewish Civilisation and a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. He has published extensively in the field of Australian race relations and immigration history. Andrew is tracking changes in Australian attitudes towards immigrants and asylum seekers through a series of national surveys. His research is part of the Scanlon Foundation's Mapping Social Cohesion project. The results show "nuanced" views, rather than a one-dimensional response to immigration.

  • Jacinta elston

    Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) and Head, William Cooper Institute

    Professor Jacinta Elston, an Aboriginal woman from Townsville in North Queensland is the inaugural Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) at Monash University. She is the current Chair of Cancer Australia’s Leadership Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Control. Her career has focused on Indigenous health and Indigenous higher education, and she has contributed many years of service on state and federal ministerial appointments, and the boards of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.

  • Nyadol nyuon

  • Div pillay

Other stories you might like