ABSTRACT
This chapter will develop students’ understanding of Australia’s migration history. There will be a brief discussion of migration that occurred following the arrival of the first Europeans through to the mid-1970s, marking the end of the White Australia Policy. Australia’s contemporary migration history (including refugees and asylum seekers) will be discussed in more depth, and students will be introduced to the concept of “multiculturalism” as it has been understood across this century. These discussions will be framed by debates around how race and ethnicity are understood in contemporary Australia. Again, links to power, racism, prejudice, discrimination, culture shock and culture clash will be examined. Exploration of these concepts will enable readers to develop an appreciation for the experiences and difficulties associated with migrating. Through cases that span Australia’s migration history, students will be able to reflect on their own ancestry and the roles and impact migration has had on health and wellbeing. The concept of CALD Australians will be critically discussed, and the complications inherent in this term will be explored. The health and wellbeing needs of a variety of CALD Australian groups will be discussed such that students are able to develop an understanding of the diversity within and across CALD groups. In doing so, students will engage in activities to explore their perceptions of themselves, others who are not like them and the implications of these differences on their future interactions with people from cultures or language groups not like their own.
