Australia is a multifaith country populated by diverse religious and cultural communities. However, in recent months, the country has been grappling with an increase in religious discrimination, racism and cultural prejudice. The surge in social tensions has resulted in increasing instances of Islamophobia, antisemitism and other forms of discrimination.
Monash academics will join an expert panel to discuss the realities of discrimination in contemporary Australia and explore pathways towards greater tolerance and social cohesion.
Sociologist and author of Fighting Hislam: women, faith, and sexism, Dr Susan Carland as well as historian and Director of the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Associate Professor David Slucki will join Chair of the Victorian Multicultural Commission Vivienne Nguyen. The panel will be hosted by human rights advocate, lawyer and CEO of Media Diversity Australia, Mariam Veiszadeh.
Associate Professor David Slucki said conversations about discrimination are necessary to confronting the issue and building a more cohesive society.
“Australia, once again, finds itself polarised. We have lost our ability to constructively debate and confront issues of discrimination, instead we have seen our society plagued by harassment, marginalisation and even violence. We need to find ways to confront and address religious and ethnic discrimination in order to build a more inclusive and respectful society,” Associate Professor Slucki said.
Since October 7, incidents of discrimination, friction and hate have threatened to fracture Australia’s multicultural society. These have included antisemitic and Islamaphobic incidents ranging from verbal abuse and graffiti to physical assault.
Dr Susan Carland said the ongoing incidents and friction persisting in the wake of overseas conflicts have the potential to fracture Australia’s multicultural society.
“As we’ve witnessed horrific scenes of violence and death overseas, we’ve turned on each other and fueled discrimination. Rather than attacking each other, it’s crucial we come together to find solutions to tackle discrimination and promote shared understanding,” Dr Carland said.
"Discrimination is rarely a single issue; it’s complex and often impacts individuals on multiple levels. By understanding these layers, we can begin to dismantle the prejudices that divide us.”
Associate Professor Slucki and Dr Carland will embark on a research project aimed at addressing antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus. The project will be the first to research the experiences of hate by Jewish and Muslim staff and students concurrently.
With both antisemitism and Islamaphovia spiking after the escalation of the war in Gaza, researchers are interested in understanding why these two phenomena function in parallel and how they shape or feed one another.
The event at the Wheeler Centre will take place between 6:30pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday 28 August. 20 February. More information about the event, including tickets, is available here.
- ENDS -
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Kim Loudon
Media and Communications Manager, Monash University
M: 0458 281 704
GENERAL MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Monash Media
T: +61 (0) 3 9903 4840
For more Monash media stories, visit our news and events site
