An analysis of Twitter content from Victoria in 2020 found low levels of racial vilification if Asians. This surprising low level of public online racism is consistent with reanalysis of survey data. Racism directed against Asian Australians and others is an ongoing source of harm. There is not, however, good reasons to believe that hatred of Asians was successfully mobilized and exacerbated in Victoria in 2020 by mass online means. Racism needs to be confronted wherever it occurs, but the uncritical acceptance of media narratives is unlikely to help the cause of confronting it.

The research addresses the relatively neglected subject of anti-racism in Australia. The research maps the frequencies and forms of everyday anti-racism and prosocial attitudes and interaction in Victoria; identifies the factors and social variations that underlie everyday action; and explores transversal enabler practices quantitatively, including their prevalence.

Kevin Dunn, Jehonathan Ben, Rachel Sharples, Nida Denson, Amanuel Elias, Fethi Mansouri, Craig McGarty, Yin Paradies, Oznur Sahin

The research addresses the relatively neglected subject of anti-racism in Australia. The research maps the frequencies and forms of everyday anti-racism and prosocial attitudes and interaction in Victoria; identifies the factors and social variations that underlie everyday action; and explores transversal enabler practices quantitatively, including their prevalence.

Our findings highlight five key areas that are significant for furthering anti-racism action.

Kevin Dunn, Jehonathan Ben, Rachel Sharples, Nida Denson, Amanuel Elias, Fethi Mansouri, Craig McGarty, Yin Paradies, Oznur Sahin

This report presents findings of a national survey of over 1300 Australians conducted in November 2020 examining well-being and resilience within the COVID-19 pandemic context. The research project looked at the factors that promoted or hindered well-being and resilience during the pandemic, and what we can learn for future crises.

Nida Denson, Kevin Dunn, Jehonathan Ben, Alanna Kamp, Rachel Sharples, Daniel Pitman, Yin Paradies, Craig McGarty

We report on a stocktake review of racism data collected nationally in Australia and with a specific focus on Victoria. We provide a comprehensive overview, summary and synthesis of quantitative data on racism, identify gaps in racism data collection, analysis and uses, and make recommendations on bridging those data gaps and informing anti-racism action and policy.

Jehonathan Ben, Amanuel Elias, Rachel Sharples, Kevin Dunn, Craig McGarty, Mandy Truong, Fethi Mansouri, Nida Denson, Jessica Walton and Yin Paradies

We report on a stocktake review of racism data collected nationally in Australia and with a specific focus on Victoria. We provide a comprehensive overview, summary and synthesis of quantitative data on racism, identify gaps in racism data collection, analysis and uses, and make recommendations on bridging those data gaps and informing anti-racism action and policy.

Based on the review, we identified eight gaps to racism data collection and analysis and to collection methodologies. We recommend four interconnected ways to fill racism data gaps for anti-racism researchers, organisations and policymakers: 1) Further analyse existing data to address critical questions about racism; 2) Collect and analyse additional data; 3) Enhance data availability and integration; and 4) Improve policies that relate to the collection, analysis, reporting and overall management of racism data.

Jehonathan Ben, Amanuel Elias, Rachel Sharples, Kevin Dunn, Craig McGarty, Mandy Truong, Fethi Mansouri, Nida Denson, Jessica Walton and Yin Paradies

Between 13 November 2020 and 11 February 2021, an online national survey of 2003 Asian Australians was conducted to measure the type and frequency of self-identified Asian Australians’ experiences of racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey also aimed to gauge the relationships between racist experiences and targets’ mental health, wellbeing and sense of belonging. In this paper, we report findings on the type and frequency of online racist experiences and their associations with mental health, wellbeing and belonging.

Alanna Kamp, Nida Denson, Rachel Sharples and Rosalie Atie

https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11050227

Our research looked at Asian Australians’ experiences of racism before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined how these experiences are associated with their mental health, wellbeing and feelings of belonging. We analysed how targets and witnesses respond to racist incidents, and whether they report these incidents. This document contains our recommendations for policymakers.

Alanna Kamp, Nida Denson, Rosalie Atie, Kevin Dunn, Rachel Sharples, Matteo Vergani, Jessica Walton, Susan Sisko

This study will provide a novel and comprehensive synthesis of the quantitative evidence base on racism in Australia. It will answer questions about the fluctuation of racism over time, its variation across settings and groups, and its relationship with health and socio-economic outcomes. Findings will be discussed in relation to broader debates in this growing field of research and will be widely disseminated to inform anti-racism research, action and policy nationally.

Jehonathan Ben, Amanuel Elias, Ayuba Issaka, Mandy Truong, Kevin Dunn, Rachel Sharples, Craig McGarty, Jessica Walton, Fethi Mansouri, Nida Denson and Yin Paradies

This report examines Asian Australians’ experiences of racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comprising over 2,000 participants, this is the largest empirical study to date of Asian Australian experiences of racism in the COVID-19 context.

This report was updated in March 2022.

Alanna Kamp, Nida Denson, Rosalie Atie, Kevin Dunn, Rachel Sharples, Matteo Vergani, Jessica Walton, Susan Sisko