History of Australian Multiculturalism

This book chapter describes how Australia has overcome White Australia and assimilationAssimilation policiesPolicies and replaced them with non-racial immigrationImmigration and multiculturalismMulticulturalism as critical foundations of social cohesionSocial cohesion. It outlines the federal settlement and multicultural policies and programs that have been put in place since 1972 to integrate migrants and refugees into broader Australian society. The book chapter examines Australian society’s gradual acceptance of non-racial immigration and multiculturalism, and associated policies and programs, and considers some linkages between immigration and multiculturalism. It also evaluates the success or otherwise of Australian multiculturalism in terms of social cohesion outcomes.