Australia

The purpose of this chapter is to critically review the Australian research literature which focuses on the relationship between race and ethnicity, education, and social inequality. The chapter is limited to research between 1980 and 2010 and with few exceptions is limited to secondary schools. The chapter begins with an introduction to the national context within which research on this topic in Australia takes place. Here it is essential to recognize the importance of immigration and immigration policy, particularly since World War II, as that explains both the source and numbers of immigrants who arrived in Australia and the extent to which research was directed to their settlement experiences and attainments. Alongside that of migration, a separate treatment of indigenous Australians is also provided, as their profile regarding education and inequality represents a different set of sociological variables and processes. The literature is presented within the context of different research traditions which guide the investigations. These research traditions include both theoretical and methodological perspectives which guide the research, and the many policy-related programs which have affected the salience of racial and ethnic research questions.