Race, Ethnicity and Representation

As industrialized societies become more diverse, there is a growing need to understand how ‘racial,’ ethnic and religious minorities participate in politics and society. This course will focus on the political and social inclusion of migrant and ethnic minority (MEM) groups in Australia and other countries. It considers such questions as: Are there differences in the participation and voting behaviours of members from migrant and ethnic minority groups, compared to other citizens? Is there such a thing as the ‘ethnic vote’? What are the political behaviours of ethnic, ‘racial’ and religious minorities in comparison to citizens from majority groups? What are the sources of mobilization for minority political participation? What are the individual, cultural and structural barriers to full participation among MEM groups within Western democracies? The course considers these questions in both an Australian and comparative context, and looks carefully at how contextual differences matter. The course is designed both as an exercise in covering the theory and literature in the field, and as a vehicle for encouraging research in migration politics. With respect to theory, the course covers themes in comparative and Australian political science including mass political behaviour, parties and party systems, parliamentary systems, elections and electoral systems, representation, legislative behaviour, social capital, identity politics, political elites, citizenship frameworks and immigration policies. With respect to research, the course includes online tasks that are designed to help you engage in research on significant questions regarding the political participation of minority groups in Australia and in comparative perspective.