Introduces racism as a socially constructed ideology and belief system, prevalent in both historical and contemporary contexts, influencing various social strata and domains. Racism occurs in multiple settings such as workplaces, schools, and media, often used to attribute causes to individuals, events, or systems, yet frequently denied. Despite this, it continues to profoundly impact people's lives and relationships, attracting significant academic attention. This book aims to provide an interdisciplinary synthesis of current research evidence, exploring its roots and impacts.

1 Definition of Racism

Delves into the definition of racism and its evolutionary history. Racism originated from racial concepts and the racialization of human relations, initially not based on biological characteristics. During the era of the slave trade and colonial expansion, race became a tool to distinguish Europeans from other ethnic groups. Following the Enlightenment, race was mistakenly considered a biological category, leading to the rise of "scientific racism." In the 18th century, notions of racial hierarchy influenced Western thought and spread through colonial expansion. In the 1920s, pseudo-scientific racial theories affected multiple disciplines, shaping social policies. After World War II, cultural factors replaced biological ones as the basis for racial classification. Although the biological construction of race has lost support, racism remains a global issue, manifesting in both overt and covert forms, creating structural inequalities, and affecting social cohesion and human rights. Racism profoundly impacts ethnic minority populations and is a focal point of multidisciplinary research. Australia's history of race relations is complex; despite policies promoting cultural diversity, racism remains a persistent challenge, manifesting as social exclusion and structural inequality.

2 Theoretical Framework

Explores the complexity of race and racism, noting that these concepts have long been contested and evolving in the humanities and social sciences. Race is seen as a social construct intertwined with various socioeconomic and cultural factors, while racism is a system of power and oppression closely linked to racial ideas. Recently, the concept of race has shifted from fixed classifications to dynamic, multidimensional ones, encompassing individual and socio-psychological characteristics, among others. Theoretical analyses of racism involve power relations, sociopolitical hegemony, etc. Although historical biological classification views have been refuted, ideological elements persist. The practical concept of racism includes economic and political dimensions, and its definition must encompass the history of power relations, ideology, and forms of discriminatory practices. In everyday life, the attributes of racism remain unclear, and debates persist in sociopolitical discourse. While some countries prohibit racial discrimination, disagreements remain over whether certain behaviors constitute racism. New forms of racism are not based on hereditary attributes but are disguised as cultural differences. This book aims to study the historical and contemporary practices of racism in Australia, proposing that racism is a complex system involving ideology, behavior, social structures, and institutions, creating and perpetuating injustice and inequality. Racism is reinforced through interpersonal interactions, social structures, and institutions, adversely affecting target groups. Interdisciplinary research provides theoretical and empirical evidence on perpetrator racism and the experiences of target groups, emphasizing the importance of recognizing systemic forms of racism.

3 Focus of This Book

This chapter focuses on examining racial politics and race relations in contemporary Australian society, synthesizing empirical and theoretical research. It notes that racism has a long history in Australia, but systematic research emerged relatively late, with limited outcomes before the mid-1990s. It emphasizes that racism persists today, affecting Indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, and other groups, with more covert and ambiguous forms, such as the evolution from "existential racism" to "digital racism." Implicit biases lead to racism occurring unnoticed, influencing public policies and interpersonal interactions. As social progress movements advance, the manifestations of racism change, and research focus has shifted from overt racism to subtle and nuanced forms. Related theoretical constructs will be introduced in subsequent chapters.

4 Racism in Australia

Explores the multidimensional issues of racism in Australia, from historical roots to contemporary manifestations, revealing the profound impact of racism on Australian society. The article notes that racism in Australia originated during the colonial period, when British colonizers held prejudices against Indigenous peoples and used legal and policy means to dispossess them of their land and rights. This historical legacy continues to marginalize Indigenous peoples socially, economically, and politically. Moreover, the manifestations of racism have shifted from overt discrimination to more covert forms, such as denying privilege and inequality. Research shows that racism exists not only in real life but is also active in cyberspace, affecting all corners of society. This book aims to use interdisciplinary analytical methods, combining historical and contemporary data, to deeply study the prevalence and patterns of racism, explore its impact on Australian society and economy, and propose response strategies to improve race relations and promote social fairness and harmony.

5 Chapter Organization of This Book

Apart from the introduction, this book is divided into ten chapters, systematically exploring the history, current situation, impacts, and response strategies regarding racism in Australia. Chapter Two reviews the history of race relations in Australia, analyzing the effects of colonial settlement, racial violence, the "White Australia Policy," etc., on Indigenous peoples and immigrants, as well as the development of multiculturalism. Chapter Three focuses on institutional racism, examining its manifestations in legal, political, and other domains and its impact on ethnic minorities. Chapter Four analyzes racism from an economic perspective, studying the relationship between racial discrimination and socioeconomic inequality. Chapter Five compares research evidence with public discourse narratives on racism, revealing covert forms of racism. Chapter Six explores the role of media in disseminating racism. Chapter Seven synthesizes empirical research, analyzing the socioeconomic impacts of racism. Chapter Eight focuses on the effects of racism on youth. Chapter Nine studies the influence of international forces on Australian race relations. Chapter Ten discusses anti-racism strategies and intervention measures. Chapter Eleven concludes the book, emphasizing the profound impact of racism and future research directions.