ICEPA POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH PROGRAM 17 October 2008.
This seminar will provide an introduction to the projects being undertaken by recently appointed ICEPA Postdoctoral researchers at Victoria University.
Employment Discrimination Towards CALD Groups in Australia, Canada, The UK and Germany
This postdoctoral research project, led by Dr Beata Leuner, will analyse discrimination in employment towards CALD groups, with a focus on the public sector. The evidence gathered from this research will enable the development of strategic/policy programs designed to: combat discrimination; raise awareness of discrimination issues in society; provide recommendations on ways of reducing discrimination; acknowledge 'productive diversity' in Australia; and, introduce anti-discrimination legislation on the federal level. Dr Beata Leuner has previously conducted research work on migrant women in service industries and also ethnic discrimination in Victoria. Her recently published PhD focused on migration movements and multiculturalism in Australia, where she analysed migration policies since Federation 1901 and multicultural government policies since 1973, with particular emphasis on the Polish group.
Innovative Uses and Applications of ICT in Communicating Health and Community Wellbeing Messages to CALD Communities
Dr Ben O'Mara's postdoctoral work at ICEPA builds on the work of ICEPA's VicHealth Discovery Project which will research innovative uses and applications of multimedia technologies in communicating messages of health and community wellbeing to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Of particular importance to Dr O'Mara's work is the exploration of community and participatory driven models for the uses and application of technology. This research will help to inform and provide models of ICT practice which have an explicit and tacit understanding of cultural knowledge when working with people of other cultures. Dr O'Mara was formerly the ICEPA Communications Officer and his research builds on his practical experience of working with CALD Communities and ICTs at Victoria University, and draws on his experience as a freelance writer and independent filmmaker.
Intersections of English Language Testing for Citizenship and the Politics of Exclusion in Australia
With specific focus on African refugee citizenship applicants, Dr Finex Ndhlovu's postdoctoral research project explores the politics of exclusion mediated by Australia's language-in-migration policies. While Australia does not have an explicit formal English language test for citizenship, the Australian values test actually represents a de facto language proficiency requirement because it is written exclusively in English. In this project, Dr Ndhlovu uses the oral interview method and reviews of Federal government documents to investigate and ascertain the contribution of the language barrier to disadvantages faced by African refugee citizenship applicants. Dr Ndhlovu Finex holds a PhD from Monash University and his thesis explored nationalism, hegemony and the socio-politics of language marginalization in postcolonial Zimbabwe. He has published a number of refereed journal articles on language politics, identity formation, ethnicity, language policy and planning, minority languages and their maintenance and the discourse of ethnolinguistic exclusion in postcolonial Africa.
When: Friday 17 October 2008
Time: 3-5pm
Where: 'Eats' Suite, Level 1, Building P, Victoria University, Footscray Park (Melways 2007 Ref: 42 C2)
RSVP: Wednesday 25th September 2008
Sue Butterworth
Phone:
