Category: racism

24 May

Comments Off on Thin edge of the wedge: Economic nationalism & the skilled migration ‘debate’

Thin edge of the wedge: Economic nationalism & the skilled migration ‘debate’

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To his credit Bob Brown was one of the clearest opponents of Pauline Hanson when she rose to infamy in the 1990s, not something the major party leaders could have been accused of at the time. But more recently he has pushed both population limits arguments and a line against skilled migration. Yet Hanson used […]

16 Jan

Comments Off on The curious marriage of neoliberalism and nationalism

The curious marriage of neoliberalism and nationalism

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One of the main arguments of the neoliberal era has been centred on the decline of nation states and governments as actors in the economic sphere, replaced by decentralised market networks, multinational corporations and a new class of transnational capitalists. In her article in the Atlantic Monthly that I quoted in my last post, “The Rise of […]

11 Jan

Comments Off on After Arizona: The sickness at the heart of American society and its aetiologies

After Arizona: The sickness at the heart of American society and its aetiologies

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Despite shock being professed around the world, the shootings in Arizona over the weekend shouldn’t be surprising. The United States stands out for its high levels of political polarisation in a rich, industrialised country, and as Gary Younge points out, this polarisation has reached new highs during the presidency of Barack Obama. It is this […]

07 Dec

Comments Off on Michael Costa, George Megalogenis & the strange death of ‘reform’ politics

Michael Costa, George Megalogenis & the strange death of ‘reform’ politics

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Now also cross-posted to ABC’s The Drum website. The last fortnight saw the release of two significant contributions to the post federal election debate on the state of official politics, and more specifically its intimate connection with the fortunes of the Australian Labor Party. The first, the new Quarterly Essay by George Megalogenis of The Australian, is a detailed attempt […]

01 Dec

Comments Off on Vale Bobbi Sykes

Vale Bobbi Sykes

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Reposted from the Overland Journal Blog: A fortnight ago Bobbi Sykes died. When I read the news, I was stilled by sorrow for and about someone I have never met. I am not a practiced obituary writer, nor am I an ‘expert’ on Aboriginal poetry. I write this post because the girl of 18 who first read […]

Filed under: Indigenous politics, racism

24 Sep

Comments Off on wrong+arithmetic: Jacques Rancière

wrong+arithmetic: Jacques Rancière

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A friend and fellow blogger at wrong+arithmetic has translated recent comments from French philosopher Jacques Rancière, regarding the expulsion of Roma in France. Given the use of racism for political gain here, the translation of the comments is timely. It is worth taking a look.  

Filed under: racism, Ranciere, state

03 Aug

Comments Off on Welcome to the desert of the real: early requiem for our postmodern election

Welcome to the desert of the real: early requiem for our postmodern election

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If postmodernism represents the philosophical and aesthetic logic of late capitalism, then we have certainly scored ourselves the ultimate postmodern election. Fragmentary policy announcements, a lingusitic turn on the messaging front and, of course, such self-reflexive narratives that it’s hard to tell what is “real” anymore. Actually, hold that thought, because there is nothing real, just […]

19 Jul

Comments Off on Flight from the centre

Flight from the centre

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Call it a “disconnect”. Call it a “cranky electorate”. Or call it “political volatility”. Whatever name you give it, something peculiar has been happening to alienate ordinary people from official politics in a way that most commentators have found difficult to explain. The rapid destruction of Kevin Rudd is but the latest symptom of a deeper […]