Home Visits: Transnationalism among Australian Migrants
Ethnic and Racial Studies, 2007
... Martin O'Flaherty * , Zlatko Skrbis * & Bruce Tranter * pages 817-844. ... Portes , ... more ... Martin O'Flaherty * , Zlatko Skrbis * & Bruce Tranter * pages 817-844. ... Portes , Alejandro , Guarnizo , Luis and Landolt , Patricia 1999 'The study of transnationalism: Pitfalls and promise of an emergent research field' , Ethnic and Racial Studies , vol. 22 , no. 2 , pp. ...
Many social theorists argue that institutions such as organized religion, the nuclear family and ... more Many social theorists argue that institutions such as organized religion, the nuclear family and social traditions more generally, are in a rapid and potentially terminal decline. At the same time, there has been a growing emphasis on the processes of individualization, the rise of the 'reflexive self', de-traditionalization and an emergent view of life as a 'planning project' where individuals determine their future pathways through autonomous decision-making. changes, while others, such as Gross and Simmons or Smart and Shipman, advise more caution. In this article we interrogate this tension by using first-wave data from a longitudinal study involving over 7000 12-13-year-old high-school students from government, independent and Catholic schools in Queensland, Australia. In this article we provide key baseline findings on students' expectations of marriage and family life to highlight several key issues that must be addressed by de-institutionalization and reflexivity theorists, and which illustrate the need for a more longitudinal evaluation of their claims.
This paper provides a unique perspective on trust in Australian society using data from the first... more This paper provides a unique perspective on trust in Australian society using data from the first wave of a longitudinal study of young people in Queensland. Questions central to young people's expectations regarding institutions and significant others are interrogated. Trust assumes critical importance in this context because it is an important aspect of the futureoriented deliberative processes young people engage in. Gender, indigenous status and religiosity are key determinants of trust across a range of indicators. Boys are less likely than girls to trust significant others such as friends and siblings or to trust environmental groups, but are more trusting of sportspeople, television and the Internet. Aboriginal children are more trusting of their siblings, teachers and neighbours, but less so of their parents. 'Smart' children are more trusting of their teachers and schools and feel more confident about their future, while general life satisfaction is positively associated with most measures of trust.
Attitude polarization between conservative and progressive politicians over global warming has an... more Attitude polarization between conservative and progressive politicians over global warming has an important influence upon public acceptance of action on climate change. Political party identification theorists claim that political elites provide cues that guide party supporters on complex political issues. In Australia, as in the USA, the UK and elsewhere, public attitudes on climate change are deeply divided on the basis of party identification and political ideology. Multivariate analyses of Australian candidate and voter survey data show that coalition candidates and their supporters are far less likely than their Labor or Greens counterparts to believe global warming will pose a serious threat to their way of life. Attitudes toward global warming are also more polarized according to party allegiance among candidates than among voters. Controlling for social background and political ideology, Coalition identifiers are less concerned about the dangers of climate change, far less supportive of the carbon tax and less likely to support renewable energy options than Greens or Labor identifiers are, but much more supportive of nuclear power as an alternative energy source.
Engaged Citizens: Are Post Materialists Making a Difference?
Are Postmaterialists Engaged Citizens?
1n June 2004, with an election due later in the year, then federal Labor leader, Mark Latham, end... more 1n June 2004, with an election due later in the year, then federal Labor leader, Mark Latham, endorsed and then secured preselection for Peter Garrett in the safe Labor seat of Kingsford Smith, despite opposition from local branch members. As well as being ...
Share ownership in Australia The emergence of new tensions?
Journal of Sociology, Jun 1, 2004
Postmaterial value shift: Generational replacement or question order effect?
Civic Identity in Australia
Australian Journal of Social Issues, Feb 1, 2000
A typology of macro-social identities is suggested based on the strength of social attachments (s... more A typology of macro-social identities is suggested based on the strength of social attachments (strong vs. weak:) and the nature of the objects-referents of such attachments (society vs. nation). It yields three types of identity: civic, ethno-national, and denizen. This ...
This paper uses interview data collected from young people in Queensland, Australia, to report th... more This paper uses interview data collected from young people in Queensland, Australia, to report the narratives of young Australians on the issue of 'boat people' and to explore the 'accepting' viewpoint. Consistent with existing literature, the 'anti-asylum' interviewees construct symbolic boundaries via language to justify why they believe exclusionary measures should be taken against asylum seekers who attempt to reach Australia by boat. In order to challenge this language of exclusion, our findings suggest the 'pro-asylum' participants adopt narratives aligned with the cosmopolitan principles of responsibility, openness and compassion. By doing so, they defend their belief that Australia's obligations towards the broader global community should take precedence over any challenges 'boat people' present to the Australian nation.
Citizenship, Civic Engagement and Property Ownership
In this paper we examine the relationship between citizenship, civic engagement and property owne... more In this paper we examine the relationship between citizenship, civic engagement and property ownership in Australia. We draw upon nationally representative survey data to examine this relationship by focusing upon empirically accessible issues. We examine the ...
Environmental Concerns in Australia: Their Structure and Social Location
An Evalaution of The Salvation Army (Tasmania) Alcohol and Other Drug Rehabilitation Outreach Programs
Considerable research on the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT) is impli... more Considerable research on the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT) is implicitly centred on the concept of a 'digital divide', aiming to ascertain the movement of the 'gap' between users and non-users. Our research is an attempt at a more complex analysis -an examination of the dynamics of the relationship of social inequality to digital inequality of ICT, using nationally representative survey data from the 2001 Australian Election Study. The results indicate that while class, education, age, and gender are still important in structuring Internet use, the interaction of these factors in predicting usage is more complex than previous research has shown. It is also more complex than the 'digital divide' concept can account for. Although the association of social inequality to Internet use is becoming less stark, it persists, and while further diffusion should increase overall levels of use, we find little support for equality of Internet usage in Australia.
From the Menzies years to the continuation of the First Home Buyers Scheme in this year's Budget,... more From the Menzies years to the continuation of the First Home Buyers Scheme in this year's Budget, the Coalition parties have justified support for home ownership on the grounds that it fosters civic engagement. Although the electoral pay-off has been minimal, the policy has meshed with Australians' aspirations; around three-quarters of all adult Australians now either own their homes outright or are purchasing them. Coalition policy on share ownership is a variation on this theme, and again, the Australian public seems to have been responsive. Since the Coalition assumed office in 1996 the number of direct and indirect shareowners has increased by more than 50%, with a majority of adult Australians now participating, at least nominally, in the market. Despite the scale of this shift in Australian patterns of investment, its effects have been little studied. In this paper we use data from the 2001 Australian Election Study to present a preliminary analysis. By comparing homeowners and shareowners overall, as well as variations within each category, we show that the two forms of investment have distinct electoral and civic implications. Electorally, homeowners are as likely to vote against the Coalition as for it, whereas shareowners are about twice as likely to support it. Shareholders who have entered the market since the Coalition took office do not differ significantly in this respect from those who had invested previously. Civically, homeowners score more highly on a range of measures of engagement than do shareowners. We conclude that rising share ownership does not bridge divisions in the Australian electorate, as claimed in Coalition policy. Rather it reaffirms those divisions. Given these findings, ALP advocates for share ownership might well reconsider their enthusiasm.
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