In 2012, the Federal Government launched the National Anti-Racism Strategy, an initiative of its multicultural policy, The People of Australia. They harm an individuals freedom to participate as a citizen in the community. 99-126. Similar results are found for US cities (Ottaviano and Peri, 2006[32]). 2. The impact of diversity: A review of the evidence - OECD iLibrary I commend the bipartisan support for this dinner and the commitment from both political parties in ensuring that this features on the annual calendar of Parliament House. [22] Joshi,A. and H.Roh (2009), The role of context in work team diversity research: A meta-analytic review. [44] Pettigrew,T. etal. We should all be proud of our multicultural history. This can be seen as an indication that board diversity is more than a numbers game, but that the context and gender stereotypes matter, for example whether women or minorities on boards have a de facto equal standing when it comes to decision making. [33] Ager,P. and M.Brckner (2013), Cultural diversity and economic growth: Evidence from the US during the age of mass migration. These demographic changes are having a major impact across many spheres of life, including the workplace, neighbourhood environments, schools and nations. [29] Suedekum,J., K.Wolf and U.Blien (2014), Cultural diversity and local labour markets, Regional Studies, Vol. [21] Bell,S. etal. Iftar is taken right after Maghrib time, which is around sunset. I acknowledge that legislation alone is not a panacea for racism. Miles Hewstone received funding for the project discussed in this article from the Nuffield Foundation. Table2.2 provides a snapshot of the studies discussed in the following. Report prepared for: Joint Commonwealth, State and Territory Research Advisory Committee (RAC) March 2013. A priori, there are no strong reasons that population diversity itself would have a macro-economic effect. 3-14, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI), Hamburg. (ed.). Access to this content in this format requires a current subscription or a prior purchase. Diversity is important for several reasons, both in society and in various contexts such as the workplace, education, and communities. 46, pp. Other studies show similar positive effects on GDP per capita, however effects are found to be stronger in low-income countries (see for example Bove and Elia (2017[30]). Despite the extensive examination by socialists and theorists there is no universally agreed definition of social cohesion. [14] Pletzer,J. etal. And when this occurs, this positive effect of diversity trumps the initial challenges. Indeed, biologists and anthropologists have long believed that humans fared better than other species because contact with unknown others brought about a variety of benefits that cannot be attained by interactions exclusively with members of our groups. Most of the studies are survey-based and usually focus only on specific, usually large firms. When assigned to biased managers (measured by their outcomes in implicit association tests) in a French grocery store chain, ethnic minorities were found to be absent more often, spend less time at work, scan items more slowly and take more time between customers. The Social diversity Is a concept that defines and encompasses the great variety of different and similar characteristics that are shared between all human beings, both personally and at a group level. Carers NSW works with all carers regardless of their age, location, life-stage or circumstances. Thank you for the warm welcome. For example, an individual's parents can be well-educated and wealthy. [29] Suedekum,J., K.Wolf and U.Blien (2014), Cultural diversity and local labour markets. The strategy involves a partnership of organisations. Indeed, the link between all human rights based complaints and employment is very strong as people know almost instinctively, that if they are denied access to work, they will find it very hard to succeed in building their lives, educating their children and securing their futures. Relatively few studies look at different elements of diversity. Although internationally we are often seen as a good example of multicultural society that welcomes diversity, racism does exist in Australian society. They find that more gender equal boards have a beneficial effect in companies where shareholder rights are weak and more monitoring is thus beneficial, while the impact is negative for companies with strong shareholder rights. Multiculturalism's impact on education. a 0.35% increase in GDP per year) from elevating employment rates of women, French-born with a migration background, residents of disadvantaged neighbourhoods and people with disabilities to the average employment level (Bon-Maury etal., 2016[47]). 9-44. Our culturally diverse society is now made up of people with origins in over 200 nations. Social diversity is a global issue - and it has contributed to major geopolitical events such as Brexit and the fractious nature of the European refugee crisis. [41] Delhey,J. and K.Newton (2005), Predicting Cross-National Levels of Social Trust: Global Pattern or Nordic Exceptionalism?, European Sociological Review, Vol. Most studies considered in these meta-analyses were conducted in the US. Furthermore, there is mounting evidence that social interactions between groups has a positive impact on social cohesion, and particularly, trust. Before I move on to the issue of racism in Australia, Id like to provide you with a brief overview of the Australian Human Rights Commission. Racism prevents fellow Australians from being able to participate in our society. Why is Diversity Important? - Diversity for Social Impact But after a period of four to eight years, individuals started to report mixing with people from different backgrounds, which improves their trust in others, promoting a positive impact on their quality of life. Research by McGuirk and Jordan (2012[10]) is a notable exception, exploring the link between innovation and diversity of educational background, migrant diversity and age diversity in Ireland. [12] Parrotta,P., D.Pozzoli and M.Pytlikova (2014), Labor diversity and firm productivity, European Economic Review, Vol. 1945-1960. It is central to our national identity. An Uphill Battle, http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264281318-en (accessed on 5October2017). The Impacts of Diversity. To answer that I think we need to define what it is. Economic arguments can only serve to reinforce the obligation of ensuring the labour market inclusion of diverse groups rooted in the idea of promoting a society that is just and equitable, valuing diversity, providing equal opportunities to all its members, irrespective of their various characteristics. Benefits of Social Diversity | Organizational Behavior and Human Relations It is a basic human right one that we all share in common; a right enshrined in the Universal Declaration and a number of other treaties that make up the body of international law. AT http://www.scanlonfoundation.org.au/research.html (viewed 23 June 2014), page 13. Desmond Tutu once stated; Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. taxation, investments in public goods, Increased social cohesion: through stronger labour market inclusion and interactions at the workplace, Reduced trust and social interactions: e.g. 291-309. (2015[14]). The Australian Human Rights Commission was established as an independent statutory authority in 1986 through legislation that is now called the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth). As I highlighted earlier prejudice and discrimination are barriers to fair treatment and equal opportunity. In 2016, more than one-third (37%) of Australians aged 65 and over were born overseas and one-fifth (20%) were born in a non . Similarly, if the gender gap in labour force participation across the OECD were to be reduced by 25% by 2025, this could add one percentage point to projected baseline GDP growth across the OECD over the period 2013-25, and almost 2.5percentage points if gaps were halved (OECD, 2017[48]). 500509. The Aboriginal peoples developed their accommodation with the environment over a period of at least 40,000 years, during which time they had little contact with the outside world. The majority of these studies has focused on Western European and North American countries and looks at the micro level impact, i.e. Using historic data from 18701920 from the age of mass migration to the UnitedStates, Ager and Brckner (2013[33]) find that higher immigrant diversity is related to stronger economic development at the county level, whereas a stronger polarisation, i.e. Briefing: Immigration, Diversity and Social Cohesion. Businesses or organizations achieve these goals through conscious and deliberate efforts or activities in their operations and administrations. Of particular significance is the removal of the requirement that acts be done reasonably and in good faith. [38] Tolsma,J., T.van der Meer and M.Gesthuizen (2009), The impact of neighbourhood and municipality characteristics on social cohesion in the Netherlands. For process innovation, only diversity in nationality has a significant, negative impact. First, the potential impact of unobserved heterogeneity that may simultaneously influence the outcome variable and ethnic diversity at regional or firm levels is likely to bias the estimated effect sizes of diversity. [2] Balestra,C. and L.Fleischer (2018), Diversity statistics in the OECD:How do OECD countries collect data on ethnic, racial and indigenous identity?, OECD Statistics Working Papers, No. Females on Corporate Boards and Firm Financial Performance - A Meta-Analysis, Academy of Management Proceedings, Vol. Diversity is also about recognising, respecting and valuing differences based on ethnicity, gender, age, race, religion . on the level of firms, teams and executive boards. Social Diversity In Australia: Professionally Profitable 1. Appendix A: Factors that influence views of diversity. We are all diminished as a consequence. . A successful community in which individuals of different race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, language, geographical origin, gender and/or sexual orientation bring their different knowledge, background, experience and interest for the benefit of their diverse community. What do we mean by diversity and inclusion? | Victorian Government (2011), Getting Specific about Demographic Diversity Variable and Team Performance Relationships: A Meta-Analysis, Journal of Management, Vol. The underrepresentation of cultural and linguistic diversity in Australian politics . [6] Dohse,D. and R.Gold (2014), Determining the Impact of Cultural Diversity on Regional Economies in Europe, WWW for Europe project WP no 58. 396414. This would prevent racist abuse offered up in the course of public discussion being permitted. 987-1015. No complaint under these acts can go to a court, unless and until the matter has been considered by the Commission. [7] Zierscha, A.M., Gallahera, G., Bauma, F., Bentleya, M., (2011).Responding to racism: Insights on how racism can damage health from an urban study of Australian Aboriginal people. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, former Western Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The 2018 Leading for Change report from the Australian Human Rights Commission showed that only 4% of federal MPs had non-European ancestry, compared to 19% of the Australian population. ), Handbook of the Economics of Art and Culture, Elsevier. [8] Ozgen C, Nijkamp P and J.Poot (2013), The Impact of Cultural Diversity on Firm Innovation: Evidence from Dutch micro-data. A similar study for Denmark finds small negative effects on productivity while gender and age are not found to have an impact (Parrotta, Pozzoli and Pytlikova, 2014[12]). Social Impact of Racism Racism can occur at three levels. The Commission is Australias national human rights institution accredited with an A status under the Paris Principles. Importantly there is strong level of support for multiculturalism from Australians themselves. 40, pp. Creativity and innovative thinking: teams with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas, Lower productivity: e.g. This rich, cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths. While other nations have faced racial tensions and riots, we have experienced long-term social stability. Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Oxford, Professor of Sociology, Princeton University, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Birmingham, Emeritus Professor of Social Psychology and Public Policy, University of Oxford. One man whos none too keen on diversity. Legislation and policies can only go so far. (2016), Gender Quotas: Challenging the Boards, Performance, and the Stock Market, IZA Discussion Paper, No. HRC/20/33. The majority of country-specific studies focuses on the UnitedStates. The Attorney-General has talked of a multi-front war being waged against freedom of speech and proposes new provisions to strengthen this freedom. In the second reading speech for the Bill the Attorney-General, Michael Lavarch, stated that: It needs to be recognised that racial hatred does not exist in a vacuumit provides a climate in which people of a particular race or ethnic origin live in fear and in which discrimination can thrive. It is through these dinners that we are able to come together to celebrate diversity, foster awareness and increase understanding of the magnitude of cultures that exist in modern Australia, and the value that this diversity brings. 709-743. The key role that Australia's immigrants played in this economic achievement cannot be taken away. Those that come to the Commission are conciliated at no cost to those involved. Together, these three datasets included more than 338,000 respondents interviewed in 100 countries across the world. What is also remarkable is the level of social harmony maintained in Australia. In the context of increasingly diverse populations, there is a clear interest in gauging the economic impact of diversity. Lastly, how diversity influences social cohesion hinges on the quality of governance structures and institutions. The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford. 57-75. due to communication difficulties, Positive self-selection: unobservable characteristics such as grit and determination to overcome additional hurdles, e.g. [2] One third (34.8 per cent) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live in major cities [3]; 43.8 per cent live in regional areas; 7.7 per cent live in remote areas; and 13.7 . whether employees perceive their workplace as open towards diversity, has a positive impact on the branchs performance. perceptions of whether others can be generally trusted. [3] Chellaraj,G., K.Maskus and A.Mattoo (2008), The contribution of international graduate students to US innovation, Review of International Economics, Vol. The diversity of ways Australians are and aren't religious or spiritual impacts on social policy, education, and interreligious relations. Some meta-analyses find no significant impact of gender composition, ethnicity or age on team performance (Horwitz and Horwitz, 2007[19]; Schneid etal., 2016[20]), while others find negative, but very small impacts (Bell etal., 2011[21]; Joshi and Roh, 2009[22])3. 51/5, pp. Overall, however, the effect is small; a 1-percentage point increase in the share of foreign-born lowers support for redistribution only by about 0.2 percent. Most studies discussed in this section discuss the impact of migrant diversity and gender, which reflects both the interest of the public debate as well as the focus of the literature. 2018/02, OECD Publishing, Paris, http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/869ef2ec-en. This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice tothe status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. Since 1945, almost seven million people have migrated to Australia. Racism. Patent applications (+); Patent grant (+); Non-university patent grants (+), 12 western European countries (170 regions), Product innovation & process innovation (+) & (-), Introduction of a new product or service: (/). 227-239. In 2012-13 we saw a dramatic increase of 59% in complaints based on racial vilification and hatred. It gives effect to Australias international human rights commitments and promotes equality between people of different backgrounds. However, while the impact of diversity might be small, there is a strong economic argument against discrimination and non-inclusion based on the sizeable cost associated with it. For these reasons, we hypothesised that initial contact resulting from diversity may prove challenging, but that these challenges should be overcome with time. With regards to the examination, these complexities incorporate high correspondence costs and the . What is the social diversity? - Heimduo 18/5, pp. In addition to the narrow definition the Commission has expressed its concern about the breadth of the exemption in subsection (4) of the exposure draft. Diversity and inclusion | Australian Government Department of Health Making Diversity Work for All, (stergaard, Timmermans and Kristinsson, 2011[11]), (Parrotta, Pozzoli and Pytlikova, 2014[12]), (Alesina, Harnoss and Rapoport, 2016[26]), Tolsma, van der Meer and Gesthuizen, 2009[38], (Alesina, Harnoss and Rapoport, 2014[42]), [2] Balestra,C. and L.Fleischer (2018), Diversity statistics in the OECD:How do OECD countries collect data on ethnic, racial and indigenous identity?. 44/3, pp. 58/5, pp. [15] Ferrari,G. etal. Social Integration. Systemic racism can be unintentional. 52/3, pp. (2018), Birthplace Diversity and Economic Growth: Evidence from the Us States in the Post-World War II Period, IZA Discussion Paper Series, No. But we believe that they might be incompatible with fast-changing societies, where people living in mixed neighbourhoods are having contact with new cultures, norms and values. Around 50% of respondents were from Canada, whereas the number of respondents was around 400 for Australia and between 100 and 150 for European OECD countries. Female directors appear to have better attendance records than male directors and the attendance of male directors improves following the entry of female members in the board of directors. Economic and social impact of increasing Australia's humanitarian The lack of diversity in Australian politics has been apparent for years. 33/6, pp. However, given the breadth of studies in this area, findings can be interpreted as giving an indication on the impact of diversity on team performance. He argues that the strength of Australia's multicultural experience has been its nation-building character. [4] Hunt,J. and M.Gauthier-Loiselle (2010), How much does immigration boost innovation?. A study on 195 countries shows that the diversity of immigrants is positively associated with economic prosperity, particularly so for skilled migrants in high-income countries; a one percentage point increase of the diversity of skilled migrants increases long-run economic output, measured by GDP per capita, by 2% (Alesina, Harnoss and Rapoport, 2016[26]). [50] Verbeek,S. (2012), Do hard diversity policies increase ethnic minority representation? Social Justice Perspective of Diversity: Overview & Example By 2031, it is estimated that this number will exceed one million, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people comprising 3.9 per cent of the population. The campaign now has support from organisations across business, sport, education, local government and civil society. Academia has reacted to these changes with growing concern about the implications of social diversity. 2018/09, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/89bae654-en. I applaud organisations such as the Affinity Foundation who are doing fantastic work at the local level to empower individuals and facilitate positive dialogues and relationships between all cultures and faiths. It is a tremendous psychological blow because it is something that I experienced from age 5 to now and I am often left feeling helpless and vulnerable for days afterwards., It makes me feel like I am lower than everyone else, an intruder who is not part of this society.. Research shows that there is a clear correlation between discrimination and inequality. Nearly a year after the infamous comments of a teenage girl, Goodes was again the target of racism at an Essendon game in May. [19] Horwitz,S. and I.Horwitz (2007), The Effects of Team Diversity on Team Outcomes: A Meta-Analytic Review of Team Demography, Journal of Management, Vol. Theory on human evolution and social diversity largely contends that the human brain has evolved a predisposition to protect our own groups, as survival was dependent on cooperation with members of that group. Academia has reacted to these. As individuals we all have the capacity to combat racial discrimination and change attitudes about racism. The most significant piece of work in Australia on social cohesion is conducted by the Scanlon Foundation. Matthew Bennett received funding for the project discussed in this article from the Nuffield Foundation, but the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily the Foundation. 21/4, pp. [3] Chellaraj,G., K.Maskus and A.Mattoo (2008), The contribution of international graduate students to US innovation. Assessing the macro-economic impact of diversity is not straightforward. 1. However, the relationship between diversity and social cohesion is not clear-cut. We have Commissioners in the areas of race, sex, disability, childrens rights, Indigenous rights and also a Human Rights Commissioner is focussing on the rights and freedoms found in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Quite evidently, the economic exclusion or inactivity of large population groups comes at a high cost, particularly against the backdrop of demographic change related to ageing populations and increasing shares of groups that have been traditionally disadvantaged in the labour market, such as people with disabilities, migrants and ethnic minorities. (2016), Gender Quotas: Challenging the Boards, Performance, and the Stock Market. It Stops With Me. [5] Y Paradies, L Chandrakumar, N Klocker, M Frere, K Webster, M Burrell, & P McLean, Building on our strengths: a framework to reduce race-based discrimination and support diversity in Victoria: Full report (2009). This is perhaps the reason why research has found that trust and social cohesion are lower in diverse communities and why, in experimental labs, individuals interacting with unknown members of a different social group show increased stress and anxiety. Findings of a survey of Human Resource professionals across a range of OECD countries (see Box2.1 for more detail) also show that participating firms have become increasingly concerned with this topic; around two in three think that the topic of diversity management has become more important in their firm in the past fiveyears. (ed. What does significant diversity mean? 93/3, pp. These notions of equality, participation and empowerment are values that underpin our work at the Australian Human Rights Commission, including anti-discrimination laws in respect of disability, age, social justice and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, race, and gender. Another area of the literature looks specifically at the impact of inequality between groups on public goods provision and attitudes towards redistribution. is the online library of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) featuring its books, papers, podcasts and statistics and is the knowledge base of OECD's analysis and data. Tim Soutphommasane chairs this partnership in his role as Race Discrimination Commissioner. OECD iLibrary 84% of respondents agreed that multiculturalism has been good for Australia, while 75% agreed that it benefits the economic development of Australia. Brothablack, Social cohesion, multiculturalism and racism. 53, pp. [7] Bratti,M. and C.Conti (2014), The effect of (mostly unskilled) immigration on the innovation of Italian regions, IZA Discussion Paper No. Much has been written about this topic, but one major question remains unanswered: are human beings able to adapt to this unprecedented change in social diversity? Other terms such as, 'plurality', 'multiculturalism', 'social differentiation' etc. Racial discrimination contributes to social and economic disadvantage;[5] likewise, social and economic exclusion can exacerbate experiences of racial discrimination.[6]. Thus, organisational practices, diversity management and non-discrimination policies can be important levers to make the most of a diverse workforce. Second, the institutional or systemic level, which involves organizations like governments and the education or justice system. After distinguishing between low and high-skilled workers, the authors find a negative impact of low-skilled workers on patents; a 1-percentage point increase of low skilled immigrants leads to 0.2 percent decrease in innovation (Bratti and Conti, 2014[7]). In recent years the Australian Multicultural Council has played an important leadership role in this regard. [34] Alesina,A. and E.La Ferrara (2005). taking into account how this may impact the behaviour of supply, demand and prices in the overall economy, it nevertheless demonstrates that there are substantial macroeconomic gains in increasing labour market inclusion. [9] Brunow,S. and B.Stockinger (2013), Establishments and regions cultural diversity as a source of innovation: Evidence from Germany, NORFACE Discussion Paper, No. (2016[15]) for Italy. [4] Hunt,J. and M.Gauthier-Loiselle (2010), How much does immigration boost innovation?, American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, Vol. 16, pp. When racist abuse rears its ugly head we will never as a club do what this person has done: disappear into anonymity. Twice he has now been subjected to racist slurs while on the football field. Australia's isolation as an island continent has done much to shapeand inhibitits culture. 2015/1. How religion rises - and falls - in modern Australia - The Conversation The Scanlon Foundation utilises five indicators for social cohesion: I think you will all agree that in general Australia is a cohesive society, this backed by the research. See K Dunn, Challenging Racism: The Anti-Racism Research Project. It is the position of the Commission that we need legislative protection across all human rights not just racial discrimination. Diversity is good for our communities. Here's the evidence Another study including around 200 European regions suggests that the impact of migrant diversity on innovation is positive and shows an inverse U-shape relationship. One study on the country-level impact is provided by Chellaraj, Maskus and Mattoo (2008[3]), analysing the impact of the share of foreign graduate students on patent applications, patent grants and non-university patent grants in the UnitedStates from 1963-2001. Where possible, other forms of diversity (notably age and educational background) are also included. They find that diversity in education and nationality have a positive impact on product innovation for a firm. Sue's previous experience includes Microsoft, Target, and Kraft. (2011), Getting Specific about Demographic Diversity Variable and Team Performance Relationships: A Meta-Analysis. Also on the AFL field, Melbournes Neville Jetta was subjected to racial abuse during a game against the Western Bulldogs. [43] Stolle,D., S.Soroka and R.Johnston (2008), When Does Diversity Erode Trust? What is social impact? Particularly the last group is found to boost innovation considerably (Hunt and Gauthier-Loiselle, 2010[4]). Before I begin I would like to acknowledge the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Owners of the land upon which we gather today. Such events have been labelled as casual racism.. [36] Dinesen,P. and K.Snderskov (2017), Ethnic Diversity and Social Trust: A Critical Review of the Literature and Suggestions for a Research Agenda, in Uslaner,E. Experiencing discrimination can lead to poor health both physically and mentally, taking years of life expectancy.
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