Indigenous Australians are significantly disadvantaged in modern Australian society. It exists because white Australian public believe that Australia is a post-racial society and claim to be anti-discrimination while ignoring increased incarceration rates, deaths in custody, and lasting effects from political wrongs committed against indigenous Australians. The sociological imagination is a concept used to see how situations in society occur and play out based on how people differ in terms of their social circumstances (Giddens & Sutton, 2010). Used to ‘think ourselves away’, this concept is a way to distance oneself from subjective influences and see symbolic values in frequently occurring events such as unequal positions between two groups
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Even now, with the advancements in racial equality, aboriginal belief systems and cultural practices are still viewed as abnormal within society. Many aspects of indigenous religion and belief systems are controlled by non-indigenous Australians, including contemporary images of indigenous persons and their cultural practices (Mikhailovich, Pavil, Ward & McConaghy, 2010). This shows how modern Australian society aims to control indigenous Australians through the distribution of religious information and cultural beliefs exclusive to indigenous Australians. Viewed through the lens of non-indigenous Australians, the public is influenced by incorrect information, pulling them in two general directions: negative and stereotyped views of the indigenous beliefs vs. overly romanticised and sentimental (Mikhailovich, Pavil, Ward & McConaghy, 2010). Religious and cultural beliefs are a sensitive topic in all societies around the globe, the topic in general faces judgment and criticism by those who don’t share the same belief system. However, the challenge for contemporary Australia is “… to support indigenous Australian peoples in their right to self-determination and the right to define and control culture.” (Mikhailovich, Pavil, Ward & McConaghy, 2010). With the manipulation of their own cultural practices, indigenous Australians face social exclusion. This can show itself in various forms of distress, ranging from substance abuse to high rates of domestic abuse and suicide (Humanrights.gov.au,
Even now, with the advancements in racial equality, aboriginal belief systems and cultural practices are still viewed as abnormal within society. Many aspects of indigenous religion and belief systems are controlled by non-indigenous Australians, including contemporary images of indigenous persons and their cultural practices (Mikhailovich, Pavil, Ward & McConaghy, 2010). This shows how modern Australian society aims to control indigenous Australians through the distribution of religious information and cultural beliefs exclusive to indigenous Australians. Viewed through the lens of non-indigenous Australians, the public is influenced by incorrect information, pulling them in two general directions: negative and stereotyped views of the indigenous beliefs vs. overly romanticised and sentimental (Mikhailovich, Pavil, Ward & McConaghy, 2010). Religious and cultural beliefs are a sensitive topic in all societies around the globe, the topic in general faces judgment and criticism by those who don’t share the same belief system. However, the challenge for contemporary Australia is “… to support indigenous Australian peoples in their right to self-determination and the right to define and control culture.” (Mikhailovich, Pavil, Ward & McConaghy, 2010). With the manipulation of their own cultural practices, indigenous Australians face social exclusion. This can show itself in various forms of distress, ranging from substance abuse to high rates of domestic abuse and suicide (Humanrights.gov.au,