Advancing Australian multicultural dialogues in education

Abstract

Race argues that Australia offers important lessons into how multiculturalism and multicultural policy can be implemented educationally. The objective is to advance multicultural dialogues not only within Australia but globally, which is the ultimate intention of this edited collection. This chapter uses Australian state policy documents as well as education empirical data as evidence bases to argue that in adopting a clear, explicit positive stance on multiculturalism, Australia allows its teachers to theoretically prepare their pupils for the evolving nature of cultural diversity within the country. The article also discusses the ‘cultural literate dialogue’ idea of Soutphommasane and how it fits within his wider idea of Australian citizenship through patriotism. It offers an assessment of these ideas within wider multicultural dialogues and the possibility of their application in a way that would allow for further positive consequences for multiculturalism and multicultural education in Australia and potentially in other countries.