Premium Essay

Essay On Asylum Seekers

Submitted By
Words 949
Pages 4
The offensive use of the word “boat people” is used within Australian society, taken from the Australian Government as an instrument to “other” individuals trying to enter Australia to seek asylum. To help comprehend the complex phenomenon of “others”, it is comparable to stereotyping, used to uphold social order. Richard Dyer (Hall, Evans & Nixon 2013) debates that “we represent people and places that are different from us with a representational practice, which we call stereotyping, which involves feelings, attitudes and emotions, and it also provokes fears and anxieties”.
This ‘othering’ is a preface for the Australian Government to disregard their human rights responsibility, proclaiming that it is good for Australia. “Stop the boats” is the slogan and catchphrase the Australian Government and Australian society use when discussion of and around asylum seekers issues. This has triggered asylum seekers to be seen as a political concern instead of a humanitarian issue. Asylum seekers are used for political advance, playing on racial stereotypes or ‘others’ to strike fear within the Australian society. As the political concerns rage on, the public restrain understanding and compassion for asylum seekers. With …show more content…
Some of the Australian society presume that asylum seekers who arrived ‘incorrectly’ in Australia by boat are ‘queue jumpers’, pushing aside ‘legal’ asylum seekers who have gone about settlement the correct way. These perceptions are born from a strong media focus of moral panic on the evil asylum seekers. in doing this, it detracts from the plight of the asylum seekers and the reasons why resort to such drastic measures to enter Australia. One of the major issue in media is that, Australia’s international human rights obligations are not widely understood, which comes back to misinformation being

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Essay On Asylum Seekers

...INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS’ ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN TURKEY Intro- question The contemporary international order is based on the nation-state system which was founded in the 17th century with the Treaty of Westphalia and consolidated in the 20th century after the World War I. In this system, the state is responsible for the well-being of its unified citizens, whereas the citizens perform their certain duties such as paying taxes. After the World War II, welfare systems were initiated mostly in Western countries in different types and scales. However, a welfare system that targets its citizens and is financed by the levied taxes goes through a crisis when foreigners cross the borders and need basic services. Those migrants can be asylum seekers who escape from political conflicts in their homeland or economic migrants who search for a better living. Those migrants who enter the country from an illegal way or whose residence permits expire become undocumented/unregistered/illegal. At this stage, they cannot benefit from health services except the emergency health services, cannot work in good standards,...

Words: 1653 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Asylum Seekers Persuasive Essay

...threats to their lives. But there is no reason why the Australian government should be obliged to welcome asylum seekers who use illegal methods to come here. We have the responsibility to protect our borders and way of life against what could amount to a huge arrival of immigrants whose backgrounds and possible criminal status are unknown.Australia shouldn’t accept the refugees as they are over populating the country and if we do more and more will come. People believe that asylum seekers deserve a fair go just like everyone else, but why should they if they are receiving everything off tax payers money. With the ever increasing number of refugees entering our country, many Australians are struggling to sustain what they once had. Many Australians were already struggling before the arrival of the refugees, and are only suffering more. Most Australians don’t earn or own substantial amounts of money and with the arrival of the asylum seekers it just puts more strain on them. Many people are now loosing their jobs and houses as they can no longer pay their mortgages, bills and purchase everyday needs as the government believes it is better to support the arrival of asylum seekers. Many Australians are in need of public housing and extra cash and the government seems to be failing its own people and giving it all away to the asylum seekers awaiting processing. The asylum seekers are given free clothing, housing, money, discounts, schooling, medical attention and seem to be getting...

Words: 1575 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Persuasive Essay On Asylum Seekers

...affect many asylum seekers who are seeking refuge due to persecution in their own countries. Asylum seekers are being detained or deported, which at times is in violation of their human rights. Due to many injustices asylum seekers face, it is difficult for them to pursue refuge. The detaining of asylum seekers has become a growing concern within the United States. As stated by the Department of Homeland Security, “(DHS) detains thousands of noncitizens who pose no flight risk or threat to public safety while they are awaiting deportation proceedings” (Immigration Policy). However, detaining a person who has come to the U.S. to seek protection because their own country failed to provide it, constitutes a violation of human rights. Asylum seekers are individuals that have passed through traumatizing circumstances, in which they feel threatened or endangered. By having asylum seekers detained, it can ultimately drive them to edge in which can have a negative impact on the economy. The detention of asylum seekers comes at...

Words: 1679 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Negative Effects Of Asylum Seekers

...Australia’s history is striking in that immigration, in a myriad of forms, essentially gave life to the nation as it is today. Australia has long been considered a prime location for asylum seekers, with it’s stable governance, high quality of life and already established immigrant communities, it is easy to see why individuals seeking asylum from religious or ethnic persecution, conflict or despotism choose Australia to lodge their claims. Be it Europeans escaping Soviet expansion post World War 2 or South Vietnamese allies fleeing Vietnam following the fall of Saigon in 1975, the development of Australia’s history and culture is inseparably linked to these Asylum seekers who come “across the sea” to our boundless plains. Australia continues to receive asylum seekers in the 21st century however there has been an apparent shift in the nations psyche towards these asylum seekers. A moral panic is defined as a disproportionate response to a perceived threat by one group towards another. Is the reaction to Asylum seekers in Australia an example of moral panic?...

Words: 650 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Asylum Seekers

...Australia should accept asylum seekers. Discuss. Introduction: In recent years, the asylum seeker issue has been an increasing interest in Australia with many opposed opinions that led a much debated question is whether Australia should accept the asylum seekers or not. In this essay, I attempt to defend the view that the asylum seekers should be accepted into Australia because of the following reasons. Body: Firstly, Australia is one of the many countries that signed the 1951 Refugee Convention. It states that if people are found to be escaping persecution, they are to be allowed into the country. In order to comply with its responsibilities, Australia must increase its intake / start accepting refugees. A second incentive is Australia has the means to accommodate large numbers of people. As sung in the Australian National Anthem, Australia has “boundless plains to share” with “those who’ve come across the seas”. By accepting and welcoming people from around the world, all walks of life Australia will become a stronger and richer nation. By not allowing asylum seekers to integrate in Australian society, we are missing out on the opportunities to build our country. Finally, the financial. While some would argue that Australia should not accept asylum seekers because it is a huge financial burden. Australia current method of dealing with asylum seekers in offshore detention centres is far more expensive that the costs of educating and integrating these people. Although there...

Words: 321 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

English Essay

...We have access to information every day of our lives. This information can inform us, entertain us or instruct us. More importantly, it can be used to control us. The following essay will examine how information is used to exercise power over others by discussing the novel “Animal Farm”, the film “Erin Brockovich” and the issue of asylum seekers. The issue of how information is used to control others is demonstrated in the novel “Animal Farm” by George Orwell. The novel “animal farm” is a story about animals that take over a farm. Flee their owner out, and begin to manage the farm on their own. Using their own system and power led by Napoleon. However instead of all animals being equal in the end some animals tent to have more power than others. Napoleon does this by using a variety of false information. For instance the animals must obey and follow the 7 commandments, but as time goes we seem to see these commandments being changed by the pigs. For example (page 15) the seventh commandment that “All animals are equal” gets changed to (page 90). “Some animals are more equal than others” this makes Napoleon and the other pigs better and sets more power over the others. In this and other ways, the novel “Animal Farm” demonstrates how information can give us control other others. Erin Brockovich is a film based on a true story of Erin Brockovich (played by Julia Roberts) who fought against the US energy corporation, Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Erin Brockovich was an unemployed...

Words: 839 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Asylum Seeker Policies in Australia Are Inhumane. Do You Agree?

...Throughout the years, there have been articles about asylum seekers resorting to violence due to discontentment with the Australian government regarding the assessment of their refugee status. These are evident cries for help which sparks off debates on the government’s abilities to find a successful solution to the asylum issues. Australia has been criticized due to the requirements of compulsory immigration detention for ‘all unlawful non-citizens, (including asylum seekers)’ (Phillips & Spinks 2013, p.1). The other controversial issue of Australia regarding the asylum seekers is also the claims that it has been avoiding it’s responsibilities under the United Nations refugee conventions by making it hard for asylum seekers to claim refugee protection. Although the Australian government is undertaking various asylum policies in response to the constant increasing influx of refugees and asylum seekers entering the country, many are still constantly suffering and the human rights of these inhumane policies need to be further addressed. This essay will emphasize the inhumane asylum policies by weighing the negative aspects, but also addressing the government’s response in dealing with the asylum issues. Many have questioned the need for the mandatory detention of asylum seekers upon arrival especially when there is no exclusion for women and children. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) has found that this policy is an infringement of human rights as it...

Words: 1369 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Ideas and Identity

...BAR 150 In this essay we will be examining the internal tension in the mainstream representation of people seeking asylum in Australia The issue of “truth” and it's representation in regards to the perception of “non (White) Australian” Australians has been a recurring motif through out Australian history. The majority of representations of Indigenous Australians, those the White Australia policy was designed to exclude and refugees who arrived since World War 2 have been deliberately manipulated to reinforce the perceived undesirability of these people. Since the Howard government's commitment to it's “hard-line” approach to refugees, the Australian public has been subjected to a non-stop campaign of negative media images around the issue of asylum seekers. Refugees are almost only represented by images of young men of “middle eastern” or “Islamic” appearance, usually behind bars, and if the image makers are lucky, engaging in acts of violence protesting their continued detention. When the asylum seeker in question is not a young, threatening male, then the “hapless pregnant female” is the next favoured image. She can be represented as “irresponsible” for putting her unborn child's life at risk by attempting a dangerous journey, and while not openly aggressive, her image supports the representation of refugees as a”burden” on the community as she is “obviously” not able to work and will require support. There is also the latent threat of her fertility and potential...

Words: 786 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Communication

...communication. Therefore, the importance of effective communication in nursing cannot be overstated as miscommunication causes misunderstandings, misdiagnosis and even a lack of trust in the professional. In agreement with this, Walker et al state that interpersonal aspects of care are central to patient’s perceptions of quality of care. (2007:149). In this reflective essay, I will discuss the issues of prejudice and discrimination and how communication can convey both negative and positive attitudes. From my first clinical placement, I have learned how attitudes could have a profound effect on the level of care a client or patient receives. “Positive responses to cultural diversity include acceptance and knowledge, not bias or prejudice. A culture is a system of behaviours people learn from the people they live and grow up with. Each culture may have different lifestyles, religions, customs and behaviours”, (Alvare et al, 2005:129). Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1998) is the framework for my reflection. In accordance with the code of professional conduct (NMC, 2004), confidentiality will be maintained throughout this essay, no trust or staff/patient names shall be used. On my Out of Hospital Placement, I was “spoked out” from my main clinic to observe a Health Visitor involved...

Words: 1729 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Asylum Seekers In Australia

...Amnesty International (2014) recently spoke to a 43 year old asylum seeker from Iran said in detention at Manus Island. He said, “I have lived in war zones, with bombs and explosions. I have never experienced what I am experiencing here with the uncertainty we face. If we had died in the ocean that would have been better” The following essay will explore the current system of offshore processing of asylum seekers under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) and alternatives to this legislation. The basis of an amendment to this legislation to mandate onshore processing is in the enabling of a safe and humane migration into Australian communities, faster processing of claims and a process that is more effective and less costly than offshore detention...

Words: 1778 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Asylum Seekers Research Paper

...Introduction: The issue in the topic “NO CHILD'S PLAY: CHILDREN IN IMMIGRATION DETENTION” is about the asylum seekers including all non-citizens and children who seek entrance to Australia without a legal visa. They are often refugees from extremely poor and dangerous circumstances. Many of them are detained in detention until their claims are legally processed (Australian Catholic University, 2015, 4.1.2). This issue directly affects the child rights as well as the Common Good for children. Common good is the good and well-being of each individuals. Common good holds that as a social being, human truly flourish in the community. Common good means the fulfillment of the every aspects that helps to reach ultimate can good for every individuals....

Words: 642 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Wag the Dog

...“Our reality is never our own but is influenced by others.” FLAPC: In this expository essay, I aim to discuss how our reality can be our own although it’s often influenced by others. Our reality can be influenced by several external sources; the media, government, values, beliefs and perceptions. I’m aiming to connect to my audience of VCE students as they will have a better understanding of ‘Whose Reality?’ and the context, ‘Wag the Dog’ (a 1997 film directed by Barry Levinson). I aim to get my readers to recognise the large role that media play in influencing our realities along with how dangerous the collaboration of the media and the government truly is. In order to put forth my opinion I’ll write in a cynical tone to portray that the motives of particular people are bad, I’ll use factual (gun crimes in the US) and fictional (‘Wag the Dog’ and ‘Leaky Boat’) evidence and I’ll use proper terminology to add sophistication and credit to my piece. In this piece, I draw on examples from ‘Wag the Dog’ (1997 film directed by Barry Levinson), ‘Leaky Boat’ (2011 ABC documentary) and gun crimes in the US in order to illustrate the idea that people are easily influenced by external sources, especially when they have authority. ESSAY: Stephan Lewandowsky’s study shows that “weighing the plausibility of a message is cognitively more difficult than simply accepting that the message is true – it requires additional motivational and cognitive resources.” This shows why peoples realities...

Words: 1263 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Refugees

...Germany. According to Eurostat (2015), European Union(EU) member state have already received more than 1.2 million asylum applications in 2015, which is a number more than double of the previous year. This essay argues that European countries should keep sheltering the refugees from the areas affected by Islamic State. With a great number of migrants, European countries are suffering stress from both economic and social aspects. However, those negative impacts are short dated and can be eased by proper solutions. 2. Economic aspect (2)...

Words: 1495 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Identify and Explore a Contemporary Debate About Community Development.

...Identify and explore a contemporary debate about community development. It is evident that existing literature highlight the complex nature of the concept of ‘community development work’. It is also true to say that there are constant changes in the political setting, and the disparity between theory and practice for community development work. To begin, this essay will attempt to define the key concepts of ‘community’ and ‘community development’ in order to understand the process. It will then explore the role of community development programs in aiding local communities to exercise control over the issues that affect their lives, in this case, the refugee women community in UK. Finally, it will also discuss about the role of critical practice in tackling the issues of social justice, such as social exclusion, poverty and inequalities. Community development is a very complex field and before attempting to define it, it is imperative to explain the meaning of ‘community’, which is in itself a contested term (Shaw, 2007). Different perspectives have been presented to define the term, for example Smith (2001) argues that ‘…some [definitions] focused on geographical area; some on a group of people living in a particular place and others which looked to community as an area of common life’. Again, according to Stacey, ninety four definitions of ‘community’ were given (Stacey, 1969 cited in Craig et al., 2008, p.14). Consequently, it becomes problematic to give a precise meaning...

Words: 1504 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Donald Trump's Impact On Canadian Society

...In this essay, I will be explaining how Donald Trump had the biggest impact on Canadian society in 2017. The reasons being are, Asylum seekers flooding into Canada, the impact that the NAFTA changes will have on our economy, and lastly, how officializing the Keystone pipeline is going to change Canada. Donald Trump has been changing the refugee laws in the US and its causing issues at our border. Trump is trying to send people who were in the US for almost all of their lives, back to their home countries. They don’t have homes there anymore, so they are illegally crossing into Canada seeking asylum and help. Not only is this making our population flourish, it also is affecting our social programs and, is a very expensive thing to deal with....

Words: 300 - Pages: 2