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The Value of Values? Debating Identity, Citizenship and Multiculturalism in Contemporary Australia

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From Migrant to Citizen

Part of the book series: Language and Globalization ((LAGL))

Abstract

It is the lot of immigrant societies to experience periodic bouts of identity anxiety. This refers to collective apprehension by a named population about what distinguishes it from other named populations. Identity anxiety is manifested in a public discourse that is preoccupied with notions of authenticity (what constitutes the real ‘us’?), signs of demarcation (what are the external signifiers that distinguish ‘us’ from ‘them’?) and the dangers of border transgressions (what will be the negative consequences of our borders — understood in territorial and symbolic senses — being breached?). It is a condition that is both exploited and reproduced by politicians, impacting on policy formation and political positioning alike. In recent years, this condition has revealed itself locally in the controversy over Australian values and citizenship testing.

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Authors
  1. Lloyd Cox
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. City University, London, UK

    Christina Slade

  2. Macquarie University, Australia

    Martina Möllering

Copyright information

© 2010 Lloyd Cox

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Cite this chapter

Cox, L. (2010). The Value of Values? Debating Identity, Citizenship and Multiculturalism in Contemporary Australia. In: Slade, C., Möllering, M. (eds) From Migrant to Citizen. Language and Globalization. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230281400_5

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