Researchers at Murdoch University have received funding to provide crucial new knowledge on the forms, impacts, and interpersonal context of covert racism among Indigenous youth.
Led by Dr Bep Uink, Research Fellow at Murdoch University’s Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre, the funding has been awarded by the Australian Research Council under the Discovery Indigenous scheme for 2021.
The Discovery Indigenous scheme provides grant funding to support research projects led by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researcher.
“Racism is associated with poor mental health among Indigenous youth,” Dr Uink said. “Previous research has examined overt forms of racism but overlooked subtle and covert forms.
"This research not only aims to understand the impact of covert racism on Indigenous youths’ wellbeing but also to explore how those working with Indigenous youth can be effective allies and adopt an anti-racist stance.
“It is easy to identify overt racism and see the negative outcomes, however covert racism, particularly targeted against Indigenous youth, is widespread and the mental health outcomes might be significant.
“People who engage in racist behaviour, whether overt or covert, might not appreciate the enduring health consequences of their actions.”
Dr Uink said her research project would adapt, to an Indigenous youth context, an international model of microaggressions (brief, daily acts of covert racism) which focuses on the impacts of racism on targets and the roles of non-Indigenous peoples in either sustaining or ameliorating racism.
“Our goal is to identify a new model of covert racism to inform future racism research and interventions in Australia and among other First Nations peoples,” Dr Uink said.
Covert racism, while deeply scarring, is not challenged in the same way that overt racism is, nor are the ramifications considered or well understood.
“We hope our research will expose covert racism as dangerous and irresponsible as covert racism, and importantly, help both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples to identify this form of racism and have the tools to challenge and ameliorate this behaviour.”
The research team also includes Dr Rebecca Bennett and Ms Jenna Woods from Murdoch University, Dr Jon Bullen and Associate Professor Michael Wright from Curtin University, Associate Professor Ashleigh Lin from the Telethon Kids Institute, Associate Professor Gregory Martin from University of Technology Sydney and Professor Yin Paradies from Deakin University.