The Impact of Ethnic Residential Concentration in Cabramatta: An Essay

This essay provides an analysis of ethnic residential concentration in Cabramatta, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, known for its high concentration of ethnic groups. The paper explores the benefits, such as cultural preservation, provision of services, and enhanced representation, which arise from this concentration. It also addresses the challenges, including prejudice, stereotyping, and potential social and economic inequalities. The essay utilizes examples such as the Chinese Buddhist Temple and the Pai Lau gateway to illustrate cultural preservation and service provision. It also discusses how media portrayals contribute to stereotyping. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of community and belonging while acknowledging the challenges associated with ethnic concentration. The essay utilizes various sources to support its arguments, offering a comprehensive view of the topic.

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ETHNIC RESIDENTIAL CONCENTRATION IN CABRAMATTA
Name
Course
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Ethnic Residential Concentration in Cabramatta.
Introduction
Around the globe, there is a common theme of immigrant groups settling in one location
within the host community’s nation (Walks and Bourne 2006, p 276). With time these groups
have the potential to increase in population while still following the cultural practices of their
indigenous community if interactions with other communities within their locality are limited.
There have been numerous ways of looking at the experiences of these groups as well as the
long-run impact on the larger community. In this paper, I analyze benefits as well as challenges
of the concentration of populations from similar origins into the same geographic location.
Cultural preservation

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Figure 1: Chinese Buddhist Temple, Cabramatta
Once a community settles into a new region with completely different traditions from the
ones familiar to the immigrant community may feel a social and spiritual void. In the quest to
fulfill this need, they may gradually build structures that they can relate to, making the new
environment feel familiar, (Lalich 2008,p53).Despite a majority of the religious people in
Sydney not being Buddhists, Cabramatta residents have built a temple to maintain their original
faith (Figure 1). For a society to preserve their customs, they must have specific symbols to
represent that notion (Lalich 2008 p52). Therefore, the presence of the house of worship does not
only signify their faith but also acts as evidence of generational continuity and commitment to
the same practice.

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Provision of Services
Figure2. The Pai Lau Gateway
Minority populations within a cosmopolitan region may find it very hard to access
desired products and services within these localities. However, when their settlement is
concentrated within the same geographical area they easily provide them among themselves
(Brook 2008, p5). The pai Lau gateway: freedom plaza (Figure 2) is located in the Cabramatta
city and is a one-stop outlet that provides many services mainly for the indigenous Asian people
(Brook 2008, p11). Besides providing products to customers, the center plays a role in promoting
Asian culture since it provides artifacts that attract interested tourists. Official and administrative

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matters are attended within the premises indicating strong roots of the residents. Additionally,
the center plays the role of a cultural center where one can indulge in Asian activities.
Representation
In a nation, representation of all citizens’ needs, whether social, cultural, or economic is essential
to the cohesion of the state. As such, immigrant groups living in clusters have a higher chance of
mobilizing their people to communicate their concerns and have them attended (Dunk 1998,
p91). When pushing for inclusion in a position of authority or change in policies to include
particular interests of an individual in an institution, chances of having the same granted are less
as compared to a big community since bargaining power is bigger. In important decisions of
national concern, all representatives are consulted to determine whether intended adjustments are
accepted by their societies (Dunk 1998 p91).
Prejudice

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Figure 3: Russian Orthodox Church
All communities do not readily accept change or perceived threats to the norms that they
are already accustomed to. In such a case, any individual that introduces a different practice
faces hostility from the society in their quest to preserve that which is familiar. The Orthodox
Church in Russia has been existent for a long time in the country. However, there were no many
Christians because many citizens were not religious but few who chose to follow the faith did not
face animosity after establishment (Krindatch 2004, p116). Around the twentieth century,
however, anti-religious groups intensified their campaigns against Christianity which saw a huge
decline in the membership of the church (Krindatch 2004, p116). Additionally, the state laws
favored alternative religions increasing the blow they suffered while those staunch followers
relocated to other places Krindatch 2004, p116). However, all these issues were solved in time
and now the institution as well as the faith advocated for has a strong following in the country
and still impacting on other nations through ministry (Krindatch 2004, p118).
Stereotyping
Television and print media reports in Cabramatta concentrated their news on matters
pertaining trafficking of hard drugs as well as other crimes (Dher 2000, p131). The local
communities felt like the media created a certain perception of these locals to the rest of the
country. As a result, a lot of these young who is the face of crime may feel like they are not part
of the society, hence increase crime rates since they do not feel associated. Apparently, as much
as the crimes were reported through different channels, there was hardly any time when a
featured person on a certain report was given the chance to give their version of the reports (Dher
2000, p133). As such, there is a theme of unfairness because all stories have two sides and one

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should not be persecuted before a trial even in the opinion court. Such cases are not only
experienced in Sydney, other minority groups around the world have been stereotyped based on
a few cases alleged to be committed by members of their society.
In their culture, there is a certain way in which they are supposed to dress especially
women, (Dher 2000, p138). There are moral obligations and duty allocations placed on different
genders for social harmony where women should respect men. Although most of them had
accepted this way of life, from the perception of other societies the practice was seen to indicate
some people were inferior to others (Dher 2000, p138). Social and economic inequality between
immigrants and the indigenous people also forms a basis of stereotyping since they do not share
the same status.
Conclusion
People are social beings that experience a compelling need to belong to a group or a
society. However, unpredictable circumstances force people to leave their original areas while
innovation introduces new practices. Living together as a group provides a lot of opportunities
that an individual may not accomplish alone. The challenges encountered while in a group could
haunt an individual; hence, it is not wise to isolate oneself in fear of prejudice or stereotypes.
Additionally, identifying oneself gives someone an identity or a support system they can depend
on especially when living among people from a completely different background.

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Bibliography
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account of cosmopolitan multiculturalism. Journal of Australian studies, 32(4), pp.509-
520.
Dreher, T., 2000. Home Invasion: television, identity and belonging in Sydney’s western
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145.
Dunn, K. M., 1998. Rethinking ethnic concentration: the case of Cabramatta, Sydney. Urban
studies, 35(3), pp.503-527.
Krindatch, A. D., 2004. Patterns of religious change in post-soviet Russia: major trends from
1998-2003. Religion, state and society, 32(2), pp.115-136.
Lalich, W. F., 2008. Chinese collective memories in Sydney. In At Home in the Chinese
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