Essay On Australian Identity

Australian people and culture are often stereotyped in the media in different forms, one of them being film. The two films being examined, ‘Red dog’ (2011) and the ‘Sapphires’ (2012), are an example of the Australian identity but from different points of view. ‘Red dog’ shows the kind and positive side which exemplifies mateship and loyalty. The film ‘Sapphires’ ,which takes place in the 1950’s through to the 1960’s, shows a negative and racist view towards the indigenous people. Both the films show different aspects of the Australian identity, not all insights of the films accurately represent contemporary Australian identity as the Australian identity has changed by the evolution of people and their lifestyle.

Australia is filled with many different aspects in which makes it the country it is today. I believe it is important to study texts that explore aspects of Australia by studying texts such as ‘The Club’, by David Williamson, a play written in 1977 about an Australian football club and movies such as “The Castle”, directed by Rob Stitch in 1997, about the daily life of an Australian family when their happiness is threatened when developers attempt to buy their house to expand the neighboring airport. Both these texts show us what Australian life was like in the past. By us looking at themes such as language, tradition and the mateship shown we are able to explore different aspects of Australia that make it what it is today.

By bringing up well known Australian icons and brands, the author involves himself with the audience.

The national spread of American media including; TV, film and music has been the cornerstone of Americanisation in Australia since 1945, the end of world war two. 'Britain's Farm' and 'America's Junior Partner': that is what Australia was labelled as, around the end World War II. Prior to WWII it is argued Australia

The Australian national identity was affected by the foreign policy and changing of alliances in World War Two, which is seen by, Australia’s alliance with America and their detachment from the mother country, their increase in victories on the battlefield as well as their economic progress post-war, which made Australia more independent and therefore shaped how it was viewed as a country. Throughout the war Australia was left vulnerable by Britain so America was called upon to help in defense. Australia fought many crucial battles with America and their victories paved the way for national success. After the war Australia had many great achievements economically which created their national identity.

This research will only concentrate on the extent of Americanisation in Australia through the influence on television and the film industry as the aspect of Americanisation covers a wide range from fashion to language. To fully understand the topic of the hypothesis, proper exploration of the definitions of ‘identity’ and ‘culture’ are of relevance. ‘Identity’ and ‘culture’ play an integral role in what an Australian represents as well as how the world views Australians. The meaning of ‘identity’ can be summarized as; ‘The collective aspect of the set of

(Our Sunshine P90)further has an effect on how other nations see us and how we see ourselves.

Today, the idea of diversity and Superdiversity have challenged what is known as ‘identity’. Bloomaert argues there is a “transition from “diversity” to “superdiversity,” a diversification of diversity due to changes in migration patterns worldwide. People from more places now migrate to more places, causing unprecedented forms of social and cultural diversity especially in the large urban centers of the world (for an early appraisal” (Bloomaert. J p.1, 2013). This challenges the notion of the ‘Australian identity’. With many new or ‘other’ cultures now calling Australia home, it has changed what is meant to be Australian. As mentioned above, 50 years ago Australia was known as a White Caucasian populace. The 2003 census found that more than

Countryman emphasises that films produced from the late 1950s through to the 1970s were subject to political influences in the filmmaking having been, “produced in times of trial and turmoil” (Countryman 20). The political turmoil present during the era of the Cold War allowed for the construction of, “a myth that is at the very core of American self-understanding… that was to dominate Cold War representations of American identity” (Countryman

Australian history is very similar to the United States’. From the formations of the countries to wars, the countries are tied together in more ways than one can count. When looking deeper into the history of the countries, there are a few main connections that stand out.

The Australian media plays a prominent role in influencing the way society makes sense of the world and its relations with others through portraying certain dominant discourses of politics, cultures and current affairs. Through this it can have positive and negative effects on cultural differences experienced within multicultural Australia. This essay will discuss the discourses that are prevalent in commercial and non-commercial television about cultural differences and diversity, and how this can either promote or denounce the inclusiveness of communities or allowing alternative voices to be heard.

The main contention in Price Erma’s article ‘ Reinforcing the myth: Constructing Australian identity in “reality TV” ’ which published online on May 2010, is to portray the myth of Australian identity shows in TV that there is a balance to measure how much is true, how much is false. Erma leads the reader to understand that the myth is against ‘reality TV’ because there always has tension between ideas of credibility and performance even TV shows are based on ‘real’ situations or people’s everyday life. Furthermore Erma demonstrates the utilization of mainstream Australian mythic, in ‘reality’ formats toward charting story what 's more character

Australia is a vast landscape, known for its laid back attitude, beautiful never ending beaches and snags, but Oz has more to offer than just slang culture. Ever since its colonisation, Australia has branched off from its European counterpart and grown into a vibrant society that the American dream could never top. Yet the country isn’t nearly as recognised as much as it deserves. Film above all other forms of Art is one media that has the ability to capture worldwide attention and while Australia has produced many a singer such as Kylie Minogue, Olivia-Newton John and Keith Urban, there humble beginnings are often forgotten. With great films under their belt like Crocodile Dundee, Mad Max and Moulin Rouge, it’s important that Australian Media and Moving Images are given more attention, in order to aid the great country’s cultural growth.

It has been 116 years since Australia became an independent nation. We’ve managed to invent speedos, the black box and Wi-Fi, but we still can’t seem to uncover what our national identity truly is. If I asked you, would you know? Well, I’ll help you out. The main character, Nancy, from the iconic 2011 movie ‘Red Dog’ is a living embodiment of the Aussie identity. When she is ridiculed, she won’t let her dignity go pear shaped and conform to the status quo. When the going gets tough she won’t say, ‘Yeah, nah’ and turn her back. When her mates are dancing under the stars, you can guarantee she is there with every beat. To say Nancy is not a clear representation of the Aussie identity, would be to say that a lamington doesn’t need coconut.

Neville Meaney’s 1995 article ‘The End of ‘White Australia’ and Australia’s Changing Perceptions of Asia 1945-1990’ seeks to contextualise the complexity of Australian national identity within the historical framework of the White Australia Policy. Meaney argues that although Australia has vocalized an identity based on commitment to multiculturalism and its place within Asia, it is difficult to reconcile these new self-conceptions with the genesis of the Australian identity based on racially exclusive nationalism.