Sociology Essay: Reflecting on Aboriginal Racism within Australia

This essay provides a reflective analysis of Aboriginal racism within Australia, drawing upon the Gibbs reflective model to explore the historical and contemporary experiences of indigenous Australians. The essay examines the impact of racism on socio-economic status, health outcomes, and access to resources, highlighting the role of social determinants such as education, age, and social support. It delves into the denial of Aboriginal existence and the perpetuation of racist beliefs, while also acknowledging the complex and diverse nature of racism as experienced by the Aboriginal community. The essay further explores the author's learning process, including the use of various sources such as scholarly articles, books, and online resources, to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter. The author concludes by advocating for the development of stringent policies and laws to reduce discrimination, promote equal opportunities, and improve the standard of living for Aboriginal Australians. The essay emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, research capabilities, and ethical considerations in addressing the issue of racism within the Aboriginal community.

Reflective project

Table of Contents
ESSAY.............................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

ESSAY
TOPIC: “To reflect on the Aboriginal racism within Australia.”
As per the Gibbs reflective model, Aboriginal community has been split into two key
groups which mainly includes aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people. Aboriginal
Australians are the people who in turn have their own set of heritage, culture and beliefs before
the British colonisation (Moodie, Maxwell and Rudolph, 2019). The culture of the Aboriginal
Australians is considered to be oldest across the world. Aboriginal Australians tends to have the
oldest civilization in the world. The history of the indigenous group of people within Australia
over last 200 years is considered to be as one of the major suffering since the arrival of
Europeans. The indigenous Australians has been facing institutional and interpersonal racism
which tends to create and also sustain low degree of socio- economic status. This is because they
are excluded from land ownership and economic opportunities. Furthermore, indigenous women
and men expects to live 9.5 and 10.6 years less respectively when compared with that of the non-
indigenous women and men (Experiences of racism among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
adults living in the Australian state of Victoria: a cross-sectional population-based study, 2019).
One of the key discourse linked with the racism within the aboriginal Australia is associated with
the denial of their existence. A review associated with the discursive and linguistic patterns
related with the contemporary speech in formal and informal manner within the Australia
comprises social taboo and also expresses racist belief which led to the development of
strategies. Socio- demographic variables which is significantly linked with the experience of
racism mainly comprise of age, sex and rurality. Males among the aboriginal community are
more likely to experience racism when compared with that of the females (Macedo and et.al.
2019). Age is however, considered to be as one of the major factor linked with the experience of
racism within the Aboriginal Australians. Indigenous community look at the racism as more
complex and diverse phenomenon when compared with the non- indigenous group of people.
Indigenous people within the Australia has lived for over a period if of more than 70000 years.
The cultural values and the belief is said to be varied when compared with that of the non-
indigenous community. Racism is considered to be as one of the key determinant associated with
the health of indigenous community. There is unremitting gap within the socio- economic and
health outcomes between the non- indigenous and indigenous Australians. Education is also
considered to be as one of the major factor which results in experience of racism within the

aboriginal Australians (Manzini Macedo, 2020). Low degree of socio- economic status which
has been measured by the labour force, educational attainment and household income. This is
where they tend to experience high degree of racism in order to overcome the varied set of
substantial barriers among the indigenous community (Markwick, Ansari, Clinch and McNeil,
2019). Racism within the Australia has traced both contemporary and historical attitude within
the racist community.
My knowledge on this topic was very limited. Earlier before carrying out the study I was
only knowing about the fact that aboriginal community exist within the Australia. Carrying out
the study on this topic helped me analyse the key social determinants which affects the
community. It also helped me evaluate the services for which they have been deprived of.
Furthermore, it was very interesting for me to find out the experience of racism within the
Aboriginal community. I ought to believe that, experience of the aboriginal racism has been
under- reported. This is mainly because of the psychologically protective effect which is linked
with minimising individual experience of the community associated with racism. However, I
believe that, racism is considered to be as a complex phenomenon (Paradies, 2018). Controlling
the lifestyle risk factors and the specific social determinants helps in elimination or reducing the
experience of racism within the aboriginal community of Australia. I have examined the fact
that, social support and trust in turn are considered to be as the major measures which are linked
with the social capital. It is considered to be as the extent and nature of specific social
relationship across the society. It tends to determine the access or lack to socio- economic
resources in order to live a quality life. Low educational attainment is one of the key reason
which has led to the experience of racism within the aboriginal Australians. Age, education and
social trust are considered to be as the major reason which results in the experience of racism
among the aboriginal Australian community.
The learning associated with the racism in Aboriginal community has been consistent. I
have gained knowledge on this topic from wide set of sources which is useful in improving the
knowledge and attain wide degree of information related to the subject matter. I have explored
large set of data over the internet by accessing to specific website. It helped me gain improved
degree of results and specific outcomes which has resulted in attaining wider degree of
information associated with the topic. I have also reviewed various google scholar articles which
helped me attain wider set of perspective related with the racism among the aboriginal Australian

community. This helped me understand the argumentative and supportive viewpoints of the large
number of scholars. It has reduced the knowledge gap linked with topic and improved my
understanding upon the subject matter. I have improved my understanding on each themes and
articles to gain deeper set of understanding related with the subject topic. I have also reviewed
various books, magazines, newspapers which has helped me determine the history of the
aboriginal Australians. This is also one of the prominent way because it determines the various
other key relevant factors which tends to affect the experience and well being among the
aboriginal community.
I have developed understanding that, social and economic deprivation, social trauma,
greater degree of exposure to toxins, pathogens and hazards, exposure to harmful substances,
health harming response to racism, inadequate health care, alienation from the land and
environmental degradation are considered to be as the major factor which are associated with the
racism among the aboriginal Australians (Moodie, Maxwell and Rudolph, 2019). I believe that,
developing stringent set of policies is one of the key prominent way which is useful in reducing
racism within the aboriginal community. There seems to be major determinant gap within the
health which in turn has been addressed by the major determinant because of the gap within the
health outcomes. Racism which in turn has been directed by the indigenous Australians which
has been addressed by non- indigenous people. There seems to be changing behaviours, beliefs
within the school which in turn largely affects the business operations. As per the Gibbs
reflective model, Aboriginal Australians tends to face wide degree of difficulty because they are
prone to poor access to the health care services, poverty,unemployment, lower literacy level,
homelessness, etc. This in turn are the major challenges which has been faced by the community.
There seems to be high degree of crime rate within this community (Watson, 2019). It was highly
interesting for me to carry out the study on this topic because it helped me broaden the
knowledge related to the specific subject matter. This study was highly beneficial for me because
it has bridged the gap and any knowledge deficit associated with the Aboriginal racism within
Australia. I am highly grateful to the university that, I have been given this opportunity to
improve my knowledge base related to the subject topic.
I have examined the fact that, aboriginal community in turn has been facing wide degree
of health discrimination which lowers their life expectancy rate. The indigenous group of
Australia has been facing mental and physical health issues which in turn could largely affects

the well- being and life of the community. I ought to believe that, exposure to racism is mainly
linked with the increased set of risk for behavioural and emotional difficulties. The concept
associated with the racism tends to mainly correspond with the set of behaviour, attitude and
practice which maintains imbalance within the distribution of power and equal access to the
resources. Racism is oppression of specific ethnic racial group which perpetuates social
disparities. Aboriginal health and well-being can't be promoted without taking into consideration
the impact of structural and social interactions which shapes the life trajectories. Racism tends to
take place in internalised and interpersonal systematic level which largely influence the
aboriginal community within Australia.
Carrying out the study and grasping relevant set of knowledge on the Aboriginal racism
within Australia has changed my world view. I have developed understanding that, there is a
need for developing stringent set of policies and laws which helps in reducing discrimination on
the basis of racism within the aboriginal community. It helps in providing the community with
the equal set of opportunities to live a healthy and a prosperous life. Equal set of opportunities
must be given to the scholars which is useful in giving aboriginal community equal access to the
resources to live a health and prosperous life (Oates, 2019). I ought to believe that, the
government of Australia must develop effective set of opportunities which is useful in improving
the standard of living and live a healthy life.
I have analysed that, I have high degree of communication and analysis skills. This skill
has helped me analyse large set of data which helps in effectively improving the key results and
attain wider degree of opportunities. I have gained and also imparted knowledge on the same to
create awareness among others. I have empowered people to communicate and also debate upon
this topic because it is useful in improving the business results and outcomes. I have maintained
complete anonymity while carrying out the study. I have carried out the study in an ethical and
reliable manner. The data gathered by me are all from the reliable sources and has not used any
data which are deceptive or unethical. All the information gathered is properly cited which is
useful in ensuring that, complete anonymity has been maintained. I ave also complied with all
the prominent laws to protect the data from getting lost.
I have an understanding that, most of the non- indigenous Australians group are not completely
aware about the racism which has been faced by the aboriginal community on an everyday basis.
Racism is considered to be oppressive because it tends to involve the systematic use of power

and authority which helps in treating people who has been treated unjustly. Racism has been
expressed with the use of attitude, belief, norms, behaviour and practice which is either
unintentional or intentional. Racism is considered to be as an inequitable distribution of benefits,
opportunities and other set of racial groups (Markwick, Ansari, Clinch and McNeil, 2019).
I have analysed that, I have strong critical thinking and research capability. This way it
helped me understand the content in various articles. This way it is useful in gaining wider set of
data and improve the results outcomes related with the subject matter. I have understood that,
fair treatment and equal opportunities must be given to the aboriginal Australians. I have also
taken the indigenous perspective related with the racism in the aboriginal community and they
have expressed that, they do not have equal access to the resources and the services available to
the non- indigenous group in order to live a healthy life. They are discriminated and do not have
equal opportunities as when compared with the non- indigenous group of Australia. However, I
believe that, appropriate action must betaken and complete awareness must be created to help
aboriginal community get better access to the wide set of services and improve the standard of
living. I also believe that, their culture and belief should sustain. This helps in reducing racism
among the aboriginal Australian group.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Macedo, D. M & et.al. (2019). Does ethnic-racial identity modify the effects of racism on the
social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal Australian children?. Plos one, 14(8),
e0220744.
Manzini Macedo, D. (2020). Racism and Aboriginal Australian children’s wellbeing: impact and
protective factors (Doctoral dissertation).
Markwick, A., Ansari, Z., Clinch, D., & McNeil, J. (2019). Experiences of racism among
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults living in the Australian state of Victoria:
a cross-sectional population-based study. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 1-14.
Moodie, N., Maxwell, J., & Rudolph, S. (2019). The impact of racism on the schooling
experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students: A systematic
review. The Australian Educational Researcher, 46(2), 273-295.
Oates, F. (2019). Racism as trauma: experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Australian child protection practitioners. Child Abuse & Neglect, 104262.
Paradies, Y. (2018). Racism and indigenous health. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global
Public Health.
Watson, N. (2019). Deadly detectives: how Aboriginal Australian writers are re-creating crime
fiction. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, 15(1), 75-81.
Online
Experiences of racism among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults living in the
Australian state of Victoria: a cross-sectional population-based study. 2019. [ONLINE].
Available through<https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-
019-6614-7 >