Abstract
This conversation focuses on the enduring presence of racism in Australia, tracing its historical roots in colonisation and contemporary manifestations across social, political and institutional domains. This panel will explore how racism operates structurally and interpersonally, disproportionately affecting marginalised communities. Impacted by growing extremism, there are now particular challenges to speaking about race and racism with increasing polarisation, misinformation and heightened emotions. There has been a global turn towards populism, which some scholars have labelled as a euphemism for racism. A common feature of this trend is a disavowal of history. Universities are under pressure at the same time as educators have critical roles to play in anti-racist teaching, action and research. This panel addresses a range of questions, including how can racial literacy help us understand the structural nature of racism beyond individual prejudice? How do ideas of assimilation and reconciliation affect the cultural, religious and social identities of racialised groups in Australia? How do different communities experience and respond to racism in Australia and what strategies have been particularly effective or problematic?