Ocean to Outback

Book excerpt: "Many debates that continue to ignite and divide Australians stem from notions of nationality and citizenship, ethnicity and multiculturalism, community and place. In Ocean to Outback, eleven authors address these topics as real concerns for groups and communities. In an increasingly fractious and unstable world, the need for such an investigation is paramount if we are to finds ways of negotiating and working through the conflicts and tensions that arise, such as the 2005 Cronulla riots. Issues that have plagued Australian society in recent years, such as immigration, the treatment of refugees, national identity and the meaning of terrorism, are better understood through the lens of cosmopolitanism as we think about our relation to, and place in, the wider world. Viewed as an ongoing political project, cosmopolitanism has important implications for Australia's sense of connection to the rest of the globe, and this book offers a positive approach to contemporary politics and society."--Publisher's website.