Cite as:
Dunn K, Hanna B, Thompson S, 2001, "The local politics of difference: an examination of intercommunal relations policy in Australian local government" Environment and Planning A 33(9) 1577 – 1595
Download citation data in RIS format

The local politics of difference: an examination of intercommunal relations policy in Australian local government

Kevin Dunn, Bronwyn Hanna, Susan Thompson

Received 13 November 2000; in revised form 11 June 2001

Abstract. A national survey of multicultural policy reveals that attempts by Australian local government to foster goodintercommunal relations between cultural groups are poorly developed. Local government authorities (known as 'councils') limited their involvement to supporting festivals and information provision campaigns, often aimed at building Anglo-Celtic tolerance of other groups. Most community relations projects and policies were forms of exotic or assimilatory multiculturalism, rather than radical multiculturalism. Very few had developed policies to confront racism. Even those councils in areas with acknowledged interethnic discord were found to be reticient to intervene in local intercommunal relations. Some Australian councils celebrated and responded to the diversity of their citizenry. However, many failed to recognise heterogeneity and constructed certain minorities as a problematic 'other'. Good local government practice involves the development of a comprehensive community relations policy. Such policy should be set within the wider context of recasting governance to encourage further involvement of the full range of local citizenry.

Restricted material:

 Full-text PDF size: 177 Kb

 References  59 references, 5 with DOI links ()

Your computer (IP address: 38.107.191.108) has not been recognised as being on a network authorised to view the full text or references of this article. Please contact your serials librarian (subscriptions information).