LESSON 19.4 What are the different perspectives on national identity in Australia? LEARNING INTENTION By the end of this lesson you should be able to explain the differing representations of Australian identity and why these can be complex.
Tune in Though debates can be formal and public events, often they are just a discussion between people in which they express different opinions about something. 1. Think of an issue about which there can be multiple sides to the debate. Briefly discuss this issue and the arguments of the opposing sides with a partner. 2. Which side of the debate do you believe and why? 3. Discuss whether you believe this debate (or similar issues) needs to have a clear outcome.
FIGURE1 Debating involves sharing of differing perspectives.
Unfortunately, some perspectives on culture and identity are built on false assumptions and incorrect cultural stereotypes. Later in this lesson, we will use two case studies to investigate differing perspectives on national identity in Australia. Before discussing these case studies, it is important to learn about how stereotypes can impact these perspectives and, in turn, social cohesion. 19.4.1 Representations of social groups in Australian media Stereotypes exist due to the way social groups are represented in the media. Our perceptions of these groups are heavily influenced by what we watch on television and read in newspapers and on social media. So influential are these sources of information that they can often override our existing knowledge of social groups. Several reports have highlighted how ageism and negative representations of older people still occur in Australian media. CASESTUDY A 2024 report by the Australian Human Rights Commission on how the Australian media reports on ageing and older persons highlighted recurring themes of: • the framing of ageing as a problem • a prevailing narrative of decline, frailty and vulnerability in older age • intergenerational conflict • gendered ageism • invisibility of older Australians and their lived experiences. Source: https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/Shaping_Perceptions_Full_Report%202024.pdf
TOPIC19 Citizenship, diversity and identity 575
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