Abstract
Australian history has reflected a tradition of racism towards the non-white other since the first days of British colonisation. Today many Australians would be familiar with the phrase 'love it or leave it!' seen on cars and clothing, and used to create Facebook groups. In White Nation, Ghassan Hage argues that some Australians imagine themselves to be 'masters of the national space', while seeing 'the "racial/ethnic" other as a mere object within this space'. Given the diverse racial, ethnic, cultural and linguistic composition of contemporary Australian society, why is it that some white Australians feel empowered and justified to demand that a fellow Australian leave the country? Where does this power and authority come from? len Ang wrote of the 'historical amnesia of British colonialism' when she tried to make sense of this issue. The answer is no doubt complex but this chapter argues that an Australian republic is an essential step towards granting equality to all citizens.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Project Republic: Plans and Arguments for a New Australia |
| Editors | Benjamin T. Jones, Mark McKenna |
| Place of Publication | Collingwood, Vic. |
| Publisher | Black Inc. |
| Pages | 82-86 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781863956055 |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |