Assignment on Sociology - Multiculturalism in Australia

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Multiculturalism in Australia
Name of the Student:
Name of University:
Author Note

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Multiculturalism in Australia is characterized by the composition of people coming from
various cultural backgrounds. These can be very well reflected in the immigration policies,
which have been adopted by the government of Australia. The Australian government ensures,
through its various policies and prohibits the practice of discrimination by treating every person
to be equal before the law. The government has introduced various policies and laws, with the
help of which, it was intended to achieve cohesiveness, harmony, diversity and equality. The
country previously had White Australia Policy which were later replaced by the Immigration
policy, after World War II.
Multiculturalism has emerged as a characteristics of the Australian society, as, the
government have developed the framework to encourage and accommodate ethno cultural
diversity within the society. The government made it a point to cater to the needs of the
immigrants at the end of the twentieth century. However, diversity and multiculturalism, as is
practiced and protected with the help of policies, in Australia, been criticized for several security
and safety issues too/. However, the policies which have been brought to address the needs of the
immigrants and to ensure equality and diversity are commendable. Australia witnessed mass
immigration after the World war, which made the Australian society rich and diversity, with
people coming from various ethnic, social and cultural backgrounds (Aph.gov.au., 2020). Thus,
the Australian government decided to scrap the racially restricting policies of Immigration in the
year 1960, which helped the country become more inclusive and create integration. The focus of
the government has been to assimilate and integrate to create multiculturalism, right after setting
the Department of Immigration in the country.
At the very beginning, the policies which were introduced for Assimilation required
people to learn English and get accustomed to the practices which are ingrained in the Australian

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culture. This left no distinction between people who were immigrants and the ones who were
native to Australia. However, with time, the policies of the government focused more on
integration, rather than assimilation. The newer policies were intended to address greater issues
and challenges which were faced by the immigrant. The policies created awareness allowing
acceptance of being able to live harmoniously despite the differences (Humanrights.gov.au.,
2020). The Australian migrants, are thus, given liberties and provision to preserve their national
identities too And thus, multiculturalism could be seen in the Australian society, more, along
with time.
The real picture of the Australian society is characterized with a demographic trait, which
has multiculturalism and full of diversity. Multiculturalism, in Australia, thus is also referred to
the demography which has evolved and developed in the years to follow with the policies and
orientations, which has given rise to a normative ideal about the norms and practices of the
society. The multicultural approach of the government has served many goals in the society, out
of which social justice is one of them. Due to multiculturalism, people who have come from
different parts of the world and belong to cultures, which are not native to Australia, have gained
their own identity with which they are identified today (Westernsydney.edu.au., 2020).
Diversity, in the contemporary times, very appreciated. Migrants have been integrated into the
society, which have aided in the process of nation building and successfully creating social
cohesion in the country, despite the coexistence of various cultures and ethnicities.
Multiculturalism, in Australia, not only a concept, but also is contested into the society
through policies, which ensure that it is practiced in all spectrum of Australian lives. However, it
received criticism and scrutiny in overseas as well. It is often opined that multiculturalism is
divisive in nature which is bereft of precision and substance (Metz, Cornelius, Hoobler &

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Nkomo, 2016). However, various institutions, organizations and services, which come under
Australian government and the multicultural policies, help and aid to facilitate the necessary
opportunities, rights and elements which are required by the immigrants to survive in the
country. Another , very significant aspect of Multiculturalism, in Australia and other countries
which are open to receiving immigrants and people from various ethno cultural backgrounds,
aim to protect the rights of the indigenous people too, especially in the contemporary society
(Sumsion et al., 2009). This is relative to the historical treatment of these people and address
issues of reconciliation.
Multiculturalism, as a policy, was first introduced at the federal level, while later, it was
also implemented and brought into practice at the tertiary levels, within a framework of
multiculturalism of their own. In the recent times, multiculturalism policies are developed and
implemented more at the state and tertiary level, to address issues at the grassroots level and
community building. Thus, multiculturalism is a reality in the Australian society, which can be
seen in practice, in schools, suburbs, cities and even at the workplaces. Australian society, now
comprises of multicultural people coming from various backgrounds to live together in harmony.
The Australian community have evolved to accommodate multiculturalism as their reality
(Grieshaber, 2010). People have grown to become more accepting towards the reality, which
have been brought into practice with the help of various government policies and initiatives.
Multiculturalism, however, has also led to contemporary issues and challenges, which are
faced across various spheres of the society. One such issue is faced by families and educators
about how to raise children to help them become competent for comprehending multiculturalism
in the society. Educators who teach children in the early years of their growth, face the greatest
problems to make them perceive multiculturalism and become accommodative towards the

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differences (Grieshaber, 2010). Children are most sensitive to deal with, as they are very curious
about their surroundings and people. Children try to build an identity of themselves, with the
help of attributes which distinguish them from the rest. They focus on their differences and these
create a sense of identity, based on subtle nuances. A child may observe differences in skin
color, mannerisms, dressing styles and skin color. While a child grows up, they become
inquisitive to learn about these nuances and observe the differences which are apparent (Connor,
2011). They may pose questions, which are innately innocent but may hurt others. These are not
intentional but sometimes might be hurtful or offensive towards a person coming from a different
culture or ethnic background.
Educators and parents play important role to educate their children about each culture and
differences. The educators facilitate these opportunities to teach the children about cultures and
to understand to respect the differences. None of the differences make one culture to be inferior
to another. If children are taught to perceive these differences with positivity and be cohesive and
inclusive, it would make them become better people, who are culturally competent to take
multiculturalism in practice ahead and allow people to preserve their cultural and ethnic
preserved, without feeling threatened. If educators and parents teach children to respect the
differences, children will become proactive about multiculturalism and maximize their potential
through cultural encounters (Price, 2012). They will get enriched through such encounters to be
more accepting towards the differences. Thus, children will be proactive to learn from each
other’s culture, which lays real foundation towards a progressing community and society, as a
whole (Connor, 2011).
The Australian Curriculum and the Early Years Learning framework have several
similarities. Both of these take note of the Melbourne Declaration as a challenge and address the

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challenges in a rapidly changing world culture. The Melbourne Declaration states the purpose of
education to achieve high quality education despite differences in economic, cultural and
linguistic backgrounds (Connor, 2011). The policy intends to ensure education which would
contribute to the development of the society in a cohesive and inclusive manner, which would, as
a result uphold the values of multicultural Australia and its democratic system (Strogilos &
Avramidis, 2017). The Early Years Learning Framework as well as Australian Curriculum are
rooted in the very idea that education has the potential power to transform society and well as the
individuals who build up society, collectively.
When it comes to Early Years Learning Framework, the emphasis is laid on the role of
the educator and the learning process. Through this learning procedure, it aims to provide
guidance to the educators on complex and interactive work which would result in the learnings
which are of particular kinds and nurturing of learners who are of particular kind. The emphasis,
thus are laid on the essential elements of education to make it of high quality and standards
though various practices during childhood (Conway & Andrews, 2016). Early Year Leaning
Framework consists of pedagogies which are play based, which help in building up strong
relationships among children as well as families. The process of educating the children are
through intentional teaching.
The intention and mission of the Australian Curriculum is quite similar to that of the
Early Years Learning Framework. Through this curriculum, it is intended to develop creative
learners who are successful. The curriculum’s mission is also to give rise to citizens who are
informed and aware. The entitlement and rights of every student, to knowledge is recognized
with attempts to understand skills which lays a foundation for them to achieve success in lives

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(Connor, 2011). These also ensure participation and leaning in the Australian community for
future.
The Australian Curriculum and the EYLF have aims and missions which are alike but
have different structure which lays emphasis on varying contents. The Early Years Learning
Framework is based on understanding and beliefs which prioritizes belonging being and
becoming as process (Connor, 2011). For a children to achieve identity and security in the
society, it is important to strike a connection between the community and the family (Morrison,
Rigney, Hattam & Diplock, 2019). Children should also be given the rights to enjoy their
childhood while paying attention to the ears of rapid growth as they learn about the society and
their surroundings (Ferrara, 2019). EYLF, thus is structured on the basis of five principles.
Firstly, it is important to be respectful and reciprocal towards relationships. Secondly maintain a
partnership between the families and the educators of early childhood (Connor, 2011). Thirdly, it
is essential to set high expectations and equity. Fourthly, diversity is to be respected and
preserved. The fifth and the most important, is to focus on reflecting practice and ongoing
process of learning. The learning outcomes of EYLF include children possessing high sense of
identity, connection with the world, sense of wellbeing. They emerge as involved and confident
learners with great communicative skills.
On the other hand, the Australian Curriculum has a three dimensional structure. The first
category of the design is the curriculum content, which is knowledge based and focus on
understanding and skills of the students. The second category focuses on general capabilities of
the student which include behavior, skills, knowledge and dispositions, which the students can
acquire and apply into their curriculum (Connor, 2011). The third category focuses on the cross

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cultural priorities which address the issues of the contemporary times and society, through which
Australians can learn better.
It can thus be concluded by emphasizing on the fact that the Australian government has
taken several initiatives to make the country multicultural. The linguistic, ethnic and cultural
diversity of Australian society are preserved with many initiatives and policies which have been
brought into effect by the Australian government. Immigrants coming from different
backgrounds are given opportunities to secure and preserve their identities and be benefitted
through these services, to make the society more inclusive and cohesive. Extraordinary initiatives
can also be traced in the field of education, through EYLF and Australian curriculum which
intends to educate children to become more culturally competent.

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References
Aph.gov.au. (2020). Multiculturalism: a review of Australian policy statements and recent
debates in Australia and overseas – Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 22 March 2020,
from https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/
Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1011/11rp06
Connor, J. (2011). Foundations for learning: Relationships between the early years learning
framework and the Australian curriculum. Deakin, ACT: Early Childhood Australia.
Conway, J. M., & Andrews, D. (2016). A school wide approach to leading pedagogical
enhancement: An Australian perspective. Journal of Educational Change, 17(1), 115-
139.
Ferrara, P. G. (2019). Cultural diversity and drama education within an Australian context.
Grieshaber, S. (2010). Departures from tradition: The early years learning framework for
Australia. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 4(2), 33-44.
Humanrights.gov.au. (2020). The Success of Australia’s Multiculturalism | Australian Human
Rights Commission. Retrieved 22 March 2020, from
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/about/news/speeches/success-australias-
multiculturalism
Metz, I., Ng, E. S., Cornelius, N., Hoobler, J. M., & Nkomo, S. (2016). A comparative review of
multiculturalism in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and South
Africa. In Research Handbook of International and Comparative Perspectives on
Diversity Management. Edward Elgar Publishing.

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Morrison, A., Rigney, L. I., Hattam, R., & Diplock, A. (2019). Toward an Australian Culturally
Responsive Pedagogy: A Narrative Review of the Literature.
Ollerhead, S. (2018). Pedagogical language knowledge: Preparing Australian pre-service
teachers to support English language learners. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher
Education, 46(3), 256-266.
Price, P. A. (2012). Multicultural and diversity education in the globalised classroom in
Australia. Masters Research thesis, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The
University of Melbourne.
Strogilos, V., & Avramidis, E. (2017). The Cultural Understanding of Inclusion in Diverse
Settings. The Wiley Handbook of Diversity in Special Education, 87.
Sumsion, J., Barnes, S., Cheeseman, S., Harrison, L., Kennedy, A., & Stonehouse, A. (2009).
Insider perspectives on developing belonging, being & becoming: The early years
learning framework for Australia. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 34(4), 4-13.
Westernsydney.edu.au. (2020). Australian Multiculturalism: the roots of its success | Western
Sydney University. Retrieved 22 March 2020, from
https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/equity_diversity/equity_and_diversity/
tools_and_resources/reportsandpubs/
australian_multiculturalism_the_roots_of_its_success