At last the crime of coercive control in marriages and partnerships has been recognised and criminalised in Australia. This is a crime that can remain invisible for years, concealed behind the image of a fine, friendly man whose wife has problems. Once exposed, the victim’s bruises — or worse — make us ashamed of our blindness. Did we prefer not to notice? Were we afraid to challenge that decent fellow whose menacing emotions we sensed? (more…)
Gillian Cowlishaw
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We used to call it ‘Culture Conflict’
It is a sad fact that the White staff who take jobs in remote Aboriginal communities tend to socialise together after work, thus maintaining a clear social distance from the people they are working for, or working with, or working among. Close and trusting relationships between the locals and the strangers — teachers, health workers, and manager — do exist, but rarely. The knowledge and skills of such outsiders are needed in communities. But their knowledge and skills were acquired in quite different social circumstances, and carry cultural norms and everyday common sense that is at odds with the cultural norms and the common sense of the ‘remote’ locals. (more…)
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Occupation: are we indifferent to the cruelty imposed on Palestinians?
The actions of Israeli Defence Force troops last Wednesday — entering the Jenin refugee camp and killing nine Palestinians — seemed inexplicable from the brief reports I heard on the ABC and SBS. (more…)
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Misreading Dark Emu
Criticisms of the book Dark Emu and its author, Bruce Pascoe, continue to appear, and to become more puzzling. It is as if the overwhelming popularity of Pascoe and his message have disturbed comfortable convictions about Australian history shared across a wide segment of Australian society.