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Challenging Racism - Method and Surveys

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School of Social Sciences and Psychology

Research Methodology

The research for the Challenging Racism Project has been designed using two key research methods: large-scale telephone surveys and a multivariate statistical clustering procedure for the development of regional profiles and characterisations of racism. Following this, anti-racism suggestions have been developed for regions within each of the states and territories of Australia (starting with NSW, South Australia and Victoria), and drawing on a review of the different forms of anti-racism. Each of these research methods are briefly detailed below.

Telephone Surveys
The Challenging Racism Project team perceived a lack of comprehensive data on the nature of racism in Australian society. Our emphasis thus has been to generate comprehensive and defensible empirical data on the extent and variation of racist attitudes and experiences, in order that they could inspire or guide anti-racism. Thus, large-scale telephone surveys were conducted. The Challenging Racism Project has now collected two substantial databases on racism in Australia. The first was principally a survey of attitudes to cultural diversity, racism and the so-called out groups (n:12512), and the second was a detailed examination of experiences of racism, including the forms of racist experience and the contexts and responses to those experiences (n:4020) (see Appendix 1 for details of survey distributions and sample sizes (opens in a new window)). As an indicator of the extent of ‘out-group’ status we used a Bogardus (1933) tolerance measure in our surveys (see Parillo & Donoghue, 2005). These have also been referred to as ‘comfort’ or social distance indicators in attitudinal survey work (see Berry & Kalin 1995:306-7). Refer to Appendix 2 for details of the survey questions and indicators.(opens in a new window)

Developing regional profiles and characterisations
The aim of the Challenging Racism Project has been to generate profiles and characterisations (opens in a new window) of racism for regions across Australia. These profiles and characterisations group together regions (using Local Government Areas and Statistical Subdivisions) that share a specific mix of racist attitudes (including the intensity and foci of antipathy), racist experiences, cross-cultural contacts, socio-economic conditions, cultural diversity and demographics.

The project uses an entropy grouping procedure as a way of grouping regions within each state or territory of Australia who exhibit similar characteristics based on twenty nine (29) variables (see Appendix 3 for details of variables (opens in a new window)). The 29 variables (opens in a new window) include data on the mix of attitudes towards racism and cultural diversity, experiences of racism and racist talk, as well as demographic and socio-economic variables. To analyse the structured responses derived from the surveys, a procedure using entropy analysis was used (see Forrest and Johnston, 1981; Forrest and Dunn, 2006; 2007; 2010). Technical details on the mechanics of the entropy clustering technique are in Appendix 3 (opens in a new window). It should be noted that entropy was not used in the case of Victoria as the number of groups recommended for the state by stakeholders were far too few for grouping by entropy. The manner in which entropy grouping works can be visualised as such: for each of the specified localities a bar chart is created with each column in the bar chart representative of each of the 29 variables, based on percentages of total population (e.g. income variable: percentage of population of a given LGA that is in the bottom income category and so forth for each variable). The bar charts for each of the geographic locations (LGAs or sometimes larger regions) are superimposed over one another. Once that occurs it is easy to have a sense of those locations that display similar results. The locations that have the most similarity are grouped together (see Appendix 3 (opens in a new window) for an accessible ley speak description of the entropy procedure for grouping regions).

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Review of types of anti-racism
To aid the local anti-racism we have reviewed the various forms of anti-racism program that are deployable at local levels. Some of these assume that the user would be a local municipal authority, but many could be adopted and / or championed by other grass roots and local organisations, groups and even individuals. Our review of these programs has delineated about 20 different types of anti-racism. This web site includes a description of the nature and intent of these interventions. We provide a summary of what social scientific research has had to say about such programs, as well as providing some real world examples and links. Based on the development of profiles and characterisations of racism for regions within the states and territories of Australia, a mix of anti-racism suggestions for each regional type have been developed. The latter could be used by local authorities and NGOs to frame their anti-racism efforts, both in Australia and elsewhere.

Interviews and stakeholder consultations
Anti-racism programs, worldwide are notoriously under-evaluated (Pedersen, Walker & Wise, 2005). As a result, agencies are forever re-inventing wheels and failing to learn lessons. Proper evaluations, and dissemination of findings, can have a substantial positive impact upon local anti-racist effort. Much more research is needed on what forms of anti-racism works and what does not, and under what circumstances. We have also developed some guides and examples of how local users can evaluate the program they initiate (opens in a new window). Basic indicators are outlined, including rates of participation in events and programs, attitudinal change, economic benefits, policy changes, structural shift and sustainability. This will provide a sense of the successes and weaknesses of programs, which will aid transferability and the dissemination of good practice.

We have used stakeholder consultations to test the local applicability of our anti-racism suggestions and the other resources we have developed (Dunn & Forest, 2010). The consultations conducted in South Australia (2 case study regions) involved 16 interviews or focus groups sessions with key informants (July 2009; Feb. 2010; March 2010). The informants included representatives of local government, local cultural groups, ‘multiculturalism service’ providers, MRCs, and other relevant organisations. In NSW the consultation (1 case study area) included 10 interviews. Our interviews have covered the following themes, using at least 24 specific questions.

How well does the regional profile match with extant racism?
How do / can the characterisations and suggestions help?
Do the suggestions for anti-racism work as a form of checklist against which local (in)action can be judged? Do they help identify gaps in local policy, or suggest initiatives not hitherto contemplated? Can they work as a catalyst for action by empowering local government or non-governmental organisations to act?
What is the utility of the other web-provided resources?
What is the transferability of the suggestions / resources?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the public release of such data.
What are the community views on what forms of anti-racism do and do not work locally, and what type and level of Federal and State support do they require?

See Appendix 4 for a copy of the Generic Interview Schedule (opens in a new window) used for stakeholder consultations.

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Scholarly works referred to
Berry, J.W. & Kalin, R. (1995) ‘Multicultural and ethnic attitudes in Canada: an overview of the 1991 national survey’, Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 27(3), 301-20.

Bogardus, E. S. (1933) ‘A social distance scale’, Sociology and Social Research, 22, 265–271.

Dunn, Kevin M. & Forrest, J. (2010) “Everywhere Different: Responding to the Experience of Everyday Racism”, Association of American Geographers Annual Conference, (Marriott Wardman, Washington, DC), 14 - 18 April.

Forrest, J & Dunn KM 2006 'Racism and intolerance in Eastern Australia: a geographical perspective' Australian Geographer, 37(2), 167-186.

Forrest, J & Dunn, KM 2007 'Constructing Racism in Sydney, Australia's Largest EthniCity', Urban Studies, 44(4), 699-721.

Forrest, J. & Dunn, K.M. (2010) “Attitudes to Multicultural Values in Diverse Spaces in Australia’s Immigrant Cities, Sydney and Melbourne”, Space and Polity, 14(1), 81–102.

Forrest, J. and Johnston, R.J., 1981. ‘On the characterisation of urban sub-areas according to age structure’, Urban Geography, 2(1), 31-40.

Parillo & Donoghue, 2005 ‘Updating the Bogardus social distance studies: a new
national survey’, The Social Science Journal, 42, 257–271

Pedersen, A, Walker, I, Wise, M 2005 ''Talk does not cook rice': beyond anti-racism rhetoric to strategies for social action' Australian Psychologist, vol.40, iss.1, pp.20-30.

Surveys

The 2008 TAS/NT/Perth Surveys

In 2008 the original Experiences and Attitudes survey was undertaken in Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Perth. The funding for carrying out the telephone surveys, in these locations, was provided by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's Living in Harmony Program. A sample of 1502 was achieved.

The survey has now been undertaken across all Australian States and Territories and a 'national' data set was created. Preliminary state comparison was released in October 2008.

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Further information:

Research Directions: Studying Racism (opens in a new window)
State comparison data (opens in a new window)

The 2007 SA/ACT Commissioned Surveys

The Equal Opportunity Commission of South Australia, ACT Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and ACT Human Rights Commission co-funded a survey of attitudes across their respective states. The SA/ACT survey achieved a completed sample of n= 1938. Findings for the ACT are reported in the Human Rights Commission - Annual Report 2007-2008 and Report on the 2007 Australian Capital Territory Racism Survey. Regional profiles are currently being created for SA. These will be made available at the Findings by Region section of this site.

The original 2001 Experiences and Attitude survey has now been completed in NSW, QLD, VIC, SA and the ACT.

Further information:

Human Rights Commission - Annual Report 2007-2008 (opens in a new window)
Report on the 2007 Australian Capital Territory Racism Survey (opens in a new window)

The 2006 Racism Survey

Introduction
The second racism survey was conducted between January and March 2006. The survey was conducted by telephone among residents of all states excluding Tasmania, achieving a completed sample of 4020. This survey probes the forms that racism takes, covering the macro categories of racist talk, exclusion, unfair treatment and attack. Respondents were also asked what they did in response to an experience of racism, where they experienced racism, when it happened and how they felt about the experience.

Survey Themes
The survey questions operationalised 5 key themes. These were:

Forms of racism
Location where racism was experienced
Responses to experiences of racism
How people felt after experiencing racism
Demographic questions

Composition

Speak a language other than English 25%
Women 54%
Indigenous Australians 2.6%

Further Information:

Sampling details (opens in a new window)
2006 Racism Survey (opens in a new window)

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The 2006 VicHealth Commissioned Survey

In 2006 VicHealth commissioned a version of the 2001 survey covering the state of Victoria. The comparable data is being added to the previous NSW/QLD findings.

VicHealth released a major report (opens in a new window)in September 2007.

The 2001 Racism Survey

Introduction
In this section the characteristic of the sample and the design of the survey are outlined. The racism survey was conducted between October and December 2001. The survey was conducted by telephone among residents of New South Wales and Queensland, achieving a completed sample of 5056. The main focus of the survey was directed at developing a measure of the attitudes that respondents hold towards cultural diversity, cultural privilege, the extent of racism, and tolerance of specific cultural groups.

Survey Themes
The survey questions operationalised 4 key themes. These were: