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Racism, Indigenous people, and the Australian armed forces in the post-Second World War era
Riseman, Noah
Riseman, Noah
Author
Abstract
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ex-service personnel’s perceptions of racism in the armed forces have varied historically. Some Indigenous exservicemen and women perceived high levels of racial discrimination in the Australian Defence Force and its predecessors, while others suggest that they experienced little if any racial prejudice. Using oral testimonies, this article analyses some of the factors influencing Indigenous perceptions of racism in the military, including: the era of service, nature of employment, branch of service and Indigenous service personnel’s physical appearance. Contrary to popular assumptions about the military being an institution relatively free of racism, the post-Second World War armed forces have reflected civilian Australia’s racial, and sometimes racist, attitudes towards Indigenous people.
Keywords
Date
2013
Type
Journal article
Journal
History Australia
Book
Volume
10
Issue
2
Page Range
159-179
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Arts and Humanities
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
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Open Access Status
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Controlled