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Battling Boatloads of Prejudice: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Activism with Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Australia

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Peace Psychology in Australia

Part of the book series: Peace Psychology Book Series ((PPBS))

Abstract

The arrival of asylum seekers in Australia during the 1980s through to the first decade of the twenty-first century caused much controversy. A number of prejudicial false beliefs have formed around this phenomenon. This chapter discusses and counters four common false beliefs: ‘most asylum seekers arrive by boat’, ‘seeking asylum without authorisation from Australian authorities is illegal under Australian law’, ‘refugees get all sorts of government handouts’ and ‘giving temporary protection visas will stop asylum seekers coming to Australia by boat’. We note these myths are often found in political rhetoric indicating the social nature of individual attitudes. We also examine refugee advocates’ public rhetoric in challenging common false beliefs by arguing that they are ‘just like us’. While this is a useful strategy to challenge dominant discourse, it can backfire in that it implies the impossibility of social harmony based on diversity. We also examine the need for community-based action to engage with and counter prejudice and its bases. We conclude with an argument for the value of an interdisciplinary approach and the need to address both micro and macro issues within the framework of peace psychology in order to effect social change.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia

    Anne Pedersen

  2. Anthropology and Sociology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

    Farida Fozdar

  3. School of Law, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia

    Mary Anne Kenny

Authors
  1. Anne Pedersen
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  2. Farida Fozdar
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  3. Mary Anne Kenny
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Correspondence to Anne Pedersen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Australian Centre for Peace and Conflict, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 4072, Queensland, Australia

    Diane Bretherton

  2. , School of Law, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086, Victoria, Australia

    Nikola Balvin

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Pedersen, A., Fozdar, F., Kenny, M.A. (2012). Battling Boatloads of Prejudice: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Activism with Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Australia. In: Bretherton, D., Balvin, N. (eds) Peace Psychology in Australia. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1403-2_8

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