Refugee immigrants’ experiences of racism and racial discrimination at Australian TAFE institutes: a transformative psychosocial approach

Abstract

This paper discusses experiences of racism and racial discrimination of seven refugee immigrants attending different courses at two Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes in South East Queensland, Australia. In doing so, the paper draws from two studies that focused on resettlement of refugee immigrants in Australia. A transformative psychosocial approach is used to explore the students’ experiences of racism and racial discrimination at the TAFE institutes. Acknowledging the historical constructions of racism in Australia, the paper proposes an anti-racism framework to buttress the students against experiences of racial discrimination at the TAFE institutes. The proposed anti-racism framework has three components; the National Anti-Racism Strategy, the vocational and education system and TAFE institutes and individual refugee immigrant students. The Bubalamai Bawa Gumada is suggested as a possible anti-racism strategy that could enable the refugee immigrant students challenge racial discrimination.