7. Ahmed, A (2002), Ibn Khaldun's understanding of civilizations and the dilemmas
of Islam and the west today. Middle East Journal, 56, 20-45.
Huntington, S. (1993). The clash of civilisation. Foreign Affairs 72, 22-28.
Mehmood,S (2009). Religious reason and secular affect: an incommensurable
divide?’ Critical Inquiry, 35, 836 – 62.
The Muslim News (2013). France: Call for hijab ban in French universities.
Retrieved from
http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/islamphobia/france-call-for-hijab-ban-
in-french-universities/
8. Inequality as a cause of Migration:
Global inequality
Internal inequality
12. Migration as an institute.
Migration volume and inequality.
World Migration Institution.
13. Black, Natali, C.Skinner, J (2005).World Development Report2006:.Equity
and Development. Development research centre on globalisation and
poverty, University of Sussex.
UN Report on Global Migration Facility (2005).
Retrieved 12 May, 2014 from<
http://www.globalization101.org/september-2005-un-reporton-global-
migration-facility/
Portes,J (2013). An Exercise in Scapegoating
London review of books, 35, (12).
Gardner, K (1995).Global migrant, local lives. Oxford:
Clarendon press.
18. Listen voices of Indigenous
Closing the gap.
Government response to Closing the Gap.
19. Aborigines the First Australian (2014). Retrieved May 10, 2014 from<
http://panique.com.au/trishansoz/aborigine/aborigin.html
Australian Human Rights Commission(2012). Face the Facts: Some
Questions and Answers about Indigenous Peoples, Migrants and
Refugees and Asylum Seekers. Retrieved 14 May, 2014 from <
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/racial_
discrimination/face_facts/ftf_2012_web.pdf
Greig, A., Lewins, F., White, K (2003). Inequality in Australia.
Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
Why does the health gap exist? (n.d). Oxfam Australia. Retrieved 19 May,
2014 from
https://www.oxfam.org.au/explore/indigenous-australia/close-the-
gap/ustralias-indigenous-health-crisis-in-depth/
Editor's Notes
Different civilisations have different ideology, traditions, culture, language and history. The individuals of one civilisation have different views about relationship with God and man, nation and state, husband and wife as well as rights and responsibilities. These differences will not vanish because these are the products of centuries. Study has shown that these differences have an immense impact on generating conflict among civilisations. Additionally, globalisation gives an opportunity to people to interact more increasingly and aware of differences and commonalities of civilisations. Moreover, Huntington points out that in future, religious culture will form the base of conflicts (Huntington, 1993)
After the attack of 9/11, Muslims from all over the world became suspicious because the attackers were Muslims. Americans blamed everything to terrorism; CNN and BBC were broadcasting discussions and news under the heading of ‘terrorism in America.’ Finally war against Muslims under the cover of terrorism declared and first attack was on Afghanistan. Muslims from all corners of the world protested against the war. The war was asymmetrical in the sense that one society is highly industrialised and powerful but the other is pre industrialised. The other Muslim states, Syria, Iran and Iraq declared as ‘terrorist’ and harassment of Muslims start to begin (Ahmed, 2002).
The controversial cartoon of Muhammad is an exemplar of impasse between religious and secular views. Muslims consider it disrespect of Islam and non-Muslims regard it as freedom of speech or expression in the form of image in the secular society. The cartoon is considered as a clash between blasphemy and freedom of speech. Many people claimed that Muslims’ protest should be disciplined and they have to be careful about the protocol of freedom of speech in democratic society. People on the other hand criticised that in multicultural society the religious and sensitive issues should not be provoked as these issues trigger racism in the society (Saba, 2009 ).
Islam phobia is also one of the main ingredients of civilisation clash which reinforced after 9/11. Many incidents happened against Muslims in so called democratic society. In France a law has been passed to ban on hijab in schools although, Muslims are 11% of the population but they are experiencing discrimination. French Government denying Islam phobia by claiming that secular state cannot support religious ideals. This secular state permitted all Christian holidays but ignored Jews and Muslims ones (The Muslim News, 2013).
In Washington airport my brother was thoroughly searched by immigration only because of his Middle Eastern looks and first name Muhammad.
The events of September 9/11 appeared to give the idea of ‘clash of civilisation’ but they also conveyed the call of dialogue. The active participation in the dialogue of civilisation, to find internal balance between tradition and increasingly dominated technological changes, global solution to solve global problems, and sustainability of peace will be the challenge of human civilisation faces in 21st century (Ahmed, 2002). Furthermore, the idea of dialogue provides an opportunity to remove the barriers of civilisation and gives a platform to East and West to find solution how to cope up with terrorism.
References(images)
Image (2nd): About Secular Women, [image](2014, May12).Retrieved 12 may,2014, from http://www.secularwoman.org/about
Image (3rd):Blasphemous Cartoons: A Sincere Request to Punish Cartoonists, [image] (2014, April 13).Retrieved 13 April,2014, from http://giribalajoshi.blogspot.com/2012/04/blasphemous-cartoons-sincere-request-to.html
Image (1st): calling an end to the clash of civilizations, [image] (2014, May 12). Retrieved 12 May, 2014, from http://kansan.com/archives/2009/01/29/de- oliveira-calling-an-end-to-the-clash-of-civilizations/
Image (4th):Islam phobia is destroying America … not Islam [image] (2014, May 17). Retrieved 17 May,2014, from https://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/islamophobia-is-destroying-the-nation-not-islam/
Image (5th):The Function of Dialogue[image](2014,May 14).Retrieved 14 May,2014,from http://www.wheresthedrama.com/dialogue.htm
Global migration is a major cause of inequality in terms of wages, labour market, opportunities or life style. Millions of workers and their families migrate to developed countries seeking to reduce gap between their own positions and other people, wealthier countries. According to United Nation there were 191 million international migrants in 2005, migrated in the developed countries. Moreover, in the last 20 years, the number of international migrants around the world has increased 200 percent from 100 to 200 million per year (UN Report on Global Migration Facility2005).
Similarly, internal migration within poor countries reflects inequalities of opportunity between places. As I have seen in my country India, it is not just inequality in sending and receiving areas but inequality generated within sending areas due to migration. Unequal villages produce more migrants as compared to less unequal villages.
The immigrants steal jobs from native workers and agree to work on low wages. The percentage decline in native worker wages attributed to immigration must be weighed against the benefits native workers gain in lower priced consumer goods and from general economic growth attributed to immigrant labour. As stated Goodhart( as cited in Portes 2013) immigration has created a kind of Saudi Arabianisation of the labour market ‘one third of all graduate jobs in London are now taken by people born outside Britain’ (p.4). Immigration was found to have adverse effects on employment, labour market participation and unemployment of UK-born with intermediate education.
Migration has created inequalities between those who have access to it and those do not. My family has migrated to Australia because my two brothers are already living here so, we have better life style as compare to my relatives living in home country. In general, since the better off are more likely to have access to migration, and are more likely to have safe and economically beneficial migration opportunities. This can increase inequalities between poor and those higher up in social hierarchy. However, the rich people may also be less willing to migrate, leading to change in social and economic power in the area.
Evidence from Bangladesh suggests that, although international migration has increased inequality between poor and rich, it has decreased between the wealthiest-the elite that used to hold position of power and poor who previously dependant on the elite for economic and social support, but have now become much better off. Thus migration brought more than simply money, in the form of remittances it also brought considerable changes to land ownership in Talukar(village in Bangladesh), as well as ‘Cultural capital’ and social prestige. In turn, remittances were also fed into other areas of life, with a wider impact on social, political and economic power (Gardner, 1995).
Migration can be viewed as ‘Institution’ in the sense of establishing a set of norms and practices that structure the way in which individuals and families get access to economic development. World Development Report (2006) revealed that institutions are vital in influencing the extent to which development increases or decreases inequality. It affects inequality relate to access and opportunities of migration.
Migration as an institute helps to improve equity because the poor have access to it and the expansion of migration flow improves both equity and growth.
In addition to see migration as an institute to enhance growth and equity, it is also important to consider other institutions influence the extent to which migration might have such an effect. For example, World Migration Organisation and Global Commission for International Migration. These organisations could be the basis to promote desirable migration (WDR, 2006).
References(Images)
Image (2nd): Obama cartoons [image] (2014, May 16). Retrieved 16 May, 2014 from http://obamacartoon.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/cheap-immigrant-
labor.html
Image (3rd): Progress Illinois [image] (2014, May 16). Retrieved 16 May, 2014 from http://www.progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2013/07/23/study- boosting-unionization-would-help-combat-income-inequality-illinois
Image (1st): Puff pieces [Image] (2014, May 17). Retrieved 17 May, 2014 from http://www.puffpieces.com.au/fair-dinkum-aussie/
Image (4th): Uprising radio [image] (2014, May 2014). Retrieved 18 May, 2014 from http://uprisingradio.org/home/2013/09/12/new-report-shows-that-us- income-inequality-is-highest-in-100-years/
Image (5th):Word press [image] (2014, April 17). Retrieved 17 April, 2014 from http://williamoakley1.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/social-aspect-of-an- institution/comment-page-1/
Before coming to Australia, I thought that in Western society everybody has got equal opportunities and rights. During studying in University of Western Sydney I came across different assignment and readings. Specifically, a unit about Indigenous education really crystallised me. Indigenous Australians are the most socio economic disadvantaged group on a range of key social indicators, such as health, housing, employment, education and justice (Human Rights Commision, 2012). They have had foreign culture imposed on them in their own land. Before 1960 they were denied most rights as compare to white Australians while at the same time the assimilation policy imposed on them. It has only been since late 1960 the Federal government has begun to accept the principles of Aboriginal self-determination (Greig, Lewins & White, 2003).
The British colonists declared that before their arrival the entire continent (Australia) was terra nullius (uninhabited by humans). They used this as justification for taking whatever they wanted. As more and more white settlers moved in and occupied the fertile lands the aborigines were pushed further and further away from their traditional lands and into the harsh arid interior. The killing and exploitation of aborigines by whites continued well into the twentieth century. Aborigines were second class citizens in their own land. They only got the right to vote in 1967(Aborigines the First Australian, 2014).
In 1940, citizenship rights were given to some Aborigines under some conditions. They had to promise to give up their traditional ways, to keep away from other Aboriginal people, to live a European lifestyle and to keep out of trouble. Certificates were then issued which allowed them to vote, to go into hotels, allowed their children to go to school; legally these certificates meant that the people who had them were no longer Aboriginal(Australian Human Rights Commision,2012).
Race and racism are also emerged in the period of frontier to federation between Indigenous people, governments and mainstream Australian society, which create both covert and overt racism in Australian society and still deeply rooted in today’s Australia. The Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander has experienced racism, across multiple settings. They regularly has faced racism when accessing to health, employment, education and housing. The unequal access to societal resources reduces the opportunities of health care services for them. Moreover, one of my Aboriginal friend’s fathers told that he has one third appropriate medical care, compare to non-Indigenous Australian of same medical needs.
The report uncovered evidence of inherent discrimination in Australian health system. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders do not benefit from mainstream health services to the same extent as other Australians due to the following in appropriate services available to them.
Health services are not accessible to many, and particularly remote, Aboriginal communities.
Mainstream health services often lack cultural sensitivity and remain unwelcoming places for many Indigenous peoples. The Indigenous health workforce remains disproportionately low when compared to the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders that make up the Australian population.
It fails to address other root causes. More than 200 years of dispossession, racism and discrimination have left Indigenous Australians with some of the lowest levels of education, highest levels of unemployment, poorest health and most appalling housing conditions(Oxfam Australia, n.d).
In order to ensure equality, genuine engagement and listening voices of Aborigines to shape the policies, programs and services which matches Indigenous needs and aspirations is crucial.
Closing the Gap is a commitment by all Australian governments to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians, and in particular provide a better future for Indigenous children. In 2008, COAG (Coalition of Australian Government) agreed to address the inequalities faced by Indigenous Australians in areas of life expectancy, education, employment, child mortality and employment.
Tackling indigenous inequalities is a national responsibility and challenge. It demands on going collaboration and commitment by all levels of government, by the corporate sectors, by social and non-government organisation, and by Indigenous people and wider community.
References(images)
Image (2nd): Museum of Australian democracy[image](2014, May 19). Retrieved 19 May,2014 from http://explore.moadoph.gov.au/people/brian-charles-fitzpatrick
Image (3rd): Green left[image]( 2014,May 19). Retrieved 19 May,2014 from https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/49837
Image (4th):Disability advocacy and information service Inc. [image]( 2014,May 20). Retrieved 20 May, 2014 from http://www.dais.org.au/diversity-equity/
Image (5th): Jolly people[image](2014,May 20). Retrieved 20 May,2014 from http://sydney.jollypeople.com/close-the-gap-day/3721/
Image (1): Vibe wire [image]( 2014,may 21). Retrieved from http://vibewire.org/2012/08/the-brave-new-world-of-aboriginal-apartheid/
