Sev Ozdowski

The law, immigration and human rights: changing the Australian immigration control system.

The structure of the present system of immigration control in Australia is examined here in the context of its origin, evolution and responses to current human rights and anti-discrimination standards. This article argues that the system has serious shortcomings because it confers broad discretionary powers on immigration officials and provides no comprehensive system of judicial review. Since the 1970s the system has been gradually losing its legitimacy and has become a subject of challenges by various groups. Its efficiency has been undermined and it breeds social conflict and systematic human rights violations. The suggestion is made for development of a new immigration control system, based upon legislation that incorporates all objectives and principles pertaining to immigration policy, procedure, and review.

Globalisation and Research in Human Rights Education

The chapter synthesises recent research findings on globalisation and the politics of human rights education policy reforms globally. The chapter analyses and evaluates the shifts in methodological approaches to globalisation and human rights education reforms and their impact on societies, education policy and pedagogy.

Racism, Equality and Civil Liberties in a Multicultural Australia

Modern Australia began as a European settlement in a land inhabited by Indigenous people. The history of settlement was not always peaceful. The clash at the frontier between the Indigenous population and European settlers was often cruel, hateful and has had long lasting consequences. Other areas of conflict developed along ethnic and religious lines including between the Protestant English and Catholic Irish. It should also be noted that the racist “White Australia” policy remained unchallenged wisdom, adhered to by the vast majority until the late 1950s. Although European settlement espoused reasonably egalitarian principles (which initially did not include Indigenous Australians), the Australian Constitution was drafted without the inclusion of a bill of rights. Following mass post-WWII migration, today’s Australia is a well-functioning, multicultural society with well over 200 languages spoken at home. Chinese, Indian and Muslim settlers are amongst the largest communities. Governments are committed to multicultural policies which focus on equality and anti-racism measures, even if they are to the detriment of civil liberties such as a freedom of speech or expression. The purpose of this chapter is to look at the universality principle in the context of Australian historical development. The chapter will analyse if, and if so how, such local factors impacted on the human rights education system in Australia. This chapter will also examine the linkages between the historical background and modern culture of human rights in Australia and in particular the evolution of the egalitarian concept of a “fair go”. It will also critique the nature of contemporary human rights education in Australia and its contribution to advancing equality and civil liberties.

Globalisation and Human Rights Education: Emerging Issues

Globalisation, economic, cultural and social change has affected the nature of the debate in human rights education. The chapter explores human rights education research and the problematic relationship between human rights education and the state, against the background of globalisation, and social and cultural factors. Human rights education is an attempt to answer the following question: How can we contribute to the creation of a more equitable, respectful, peaceful and just society for everyone globally.

Human Rights Education in Australia

The chapter argues for giving a higher priority to human rights education in our schools. While the humanities-based subjects of history, geography and legal studies in the senior secondary years and civics-based subjects in the lower secondary years have clear references to human rights in the curriculum (as noted earlier the discussion of human rights education in the school curriculum report), for many other subjects, including such important subjects as English, the focus is more diffuse. Therefore, the overwhelming evidence is that there is a relatively narrow base of subjects in the curriculum spectrum across Australia that specifically offers human rights-based learning opportunities for students. The chapter suggests that teachers need to be better trained to work with human rights issues and some of the controversies that surround them. For sustained change and to ensure quality pedagogical practices in the teaching of human rights issues, teachers need professional development support and access to quality innovative resources that enable global perspectives and linkages that highlight human rights issues.