Claiming ‘anti-white racism’ in Australia: Victimhood, identity, and privilege

Abstract

This article explores the attitudes and beliefs of 38 people who made claims of anti-white racism in a national survey that measured the extent and variation of racism in Australia. Quantitative analysis of survey data reveals that those who make claims of anti-white racism are nearly twice as likely as the rest of population to hold negative views about cultural diversity and immigration, to identify ‘out-groups’, and to self-identify as racist. They are also much less likely to recognise the existence of white privilege in Australia. Discourse analysis of these participants’ open-ended survey responses reveals their attitudes stem from a belief that their white national identity, and the privilege and ownership that accompanies this, is under threat. They view this ‘threat’ as a form of racism they are victims of. These discourses of anti-white racism reflect key mechanisms of institutional racism, in particular white privilege.